Dangerous Connections
by JasonMorganfan87
Summary: Tim and Gibbs are both attacked on separate occasions. Is it about the job or does something else tie these two men together. And will they be able to protect themselves and those they love when they found out the real danger?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any of its characters.**

**Dangerous Connections**

Tim walked into NCIS and went straight for his desk, pretty much ignoring everyone. He was not in a very good mood today. He just wanted to get through it so he could go home.

"Hey, McGeek," Tony said cheerfully.

Tim completely ignored him. He couldn't deal with Tony today. He just couldn't.

"What's up with you?" Tony asked. He'd immediately noticed his teammate's sour mood.

"Just leave me alone today, okay?" Tim pleaded. He prayed Tony would listen to him for once and not push. As if he could be so lucky.

"Ooh, somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed. What happened? No, don't tell me. Your computer crashed. That would be like the end of your world as you know it," Tony joked.

"DiNozzo, I'm warning you for the last time. Back off!" Tim practically yelled, causing everyone's attention to move to him.

"Are you alright, McGee?" Ziva asked. She had never seen him like that before. He hardly ever got that angry before and he never yelled like that. Something must be up with him.

Tim took a deep breath to calm down. "I'm fine."

"Know who's not fine?" Gibbs asked as he entered the room. "A dead marine in Washington State Park. Grab your gear."

They all immediately grabbed their packs and started for the elevator.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Tim found himself taking pictures of their victim about twenty minutes later. The victim had been stabbed to death. At least that's how it looked. They had to wait until after the autopsy to know for sure.

"Got a TOD for me, Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"A preliminary one. This poor fellow died between twelve and twenty-four hours ago. I'll have to wait until the autopsy to give you a better answer," Ducky said.

"Alright. Tony, bag and tag, Ziva, witness statements, McGee, keep going with the photos," Gibbs ordered.

"On it, Boss," Tim said. He followed Tony a few feet away from the body were some blood was and started snapping some photos. Neither agent noticed the scope that was following Tim around.

"So you gonna tell me what's up with you?" Tony asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tim said as he continued with his work.

"Oh, come on, McCranky. You've been down since you got in this morning. What's going on?" Tony asked.

"It's none of your business. Just back off," Tim said.

"Alright, alright. No need to get snappy," Tony said.

Meanwhile, Ziva was making her way back. The only person she had to talk to was the one that found the body and he did not much. Just as she was making it back to her colleagues, she saw it. The scope from a sniper rifle headed right for McGee. She immediately started running towards them. "McGee, get down!"

McGee looked over just in time for Ziva to start pulling him to the ground. However, it wasn't in time to stop the bullet from hitting him in the arm. "Ahhh!"

Gibbs, who had pulled Ducky and Palmer down as soon as he heard the shots, rushed over to his agents. "McGee! You okay? You hit?"

Tim nodded and took his hand off his injured arm to reveal a gaping bullet hole.

"Jethro!" Ducky called.

Gibbs turned back to him. "Don't move! Whoever did this could still be there!"

Tim started groaning in agony. It really hurt. Nothing he'd ever experienced had hurt this bad. Well, nothing physically anyway.

"It was a sniper, Gibbs. I saw the light from the rifle," Ziva said.

Gibbs picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Yes, this is Special Agent Gibbs. We've got an Agent down in Washington State Park. We need an ambulance and some backup. We have reason to believe it was a sniper," he said before hanging up.

"Who would wanna kill me?" Tim asked.

"Well, you have been a bit cranky today," Tony joked. He regretted it immediately. It didn't even seem funny to his ears.

Gibbs glared at his senior field agent. "DiNozzo, what part of this seems funny to you?"

"None of it, Boss. I was just trying to lighten the mood," Tony said.

Gibbs ignored him and focused on McGee. "Hang on, McGee. You're gonna be fine."

Tim shook his head. "This is not my day."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Less than a half an hour later, Tim was being treated by the EMT's. "Ducky's gonna go with you to the hospital. We'll be there soon," Gibbs told him

Tim nodded just as the EMT's put him inside the ambulance. Ducky soon joined him.

Gibbs walked back to Tony and Ziva. "What do we know?" He'd sent McGee to find the sniper nest as soon as he knew it was safe.

"A whole lot of nothing, Boss. There's no sign of a sniper anywhere. It's like he was never here in the first place," Tony said.

Gibbs glared at him. "Tell that to the bullet in McGee's arm."

"I do not understand this. McGee was right. Who would want to kill him? I mean, I suppose it could be about a case, but why go after him. Why not one of us. And how did they even know he would be here? We did not even know we would be here until this morning," Ziva said.

"He was followed," Gibbs said after a minute. It wasn't a question or a guess, it was fact. That was the only way the shooter could've known where he was. McGee was being followed, probably for a while now. "Alright, DiNozzo, I want you to speak with the park attendants. Find out if they have security cameras. If they do, get the footage."

"Got it," Tony said before walking away.

Gibbs then turned to Ziva. "Arrange for security detail at Bethesda. I want two agents outside McGee's room at all times."

"Yes, Gibbs," Ziva said. She then followed Gibbs to the car.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright, thanks, Duck," Gibbs said into his phone as he entered the bullpen. He then promptly hung up and walked over to his remaining team. "Someone better tell me something."

"Boss we got the security footage. No visual on the shooter, but we did find something interesting," Tony said before putting it up on the plasma.

Gibbs walked over until he was right in front of the screen. They watched themselves on the monitors and soon got a visual of the gun.

"You see, the shooter's on that builder there," Tony said as he pointed to a large building several yards away from where Tim had been standing.

"McGee's standing right in his line of fire," Gibbs said frowning. This guy had plenty of time to pull the trigger. Why did he wait?

"Yeah. It's like he's waiting for someone," Tony said. They kept watching for a minute until they see Ziva approach. "And then there's the shot."

"He waited until McGee was aware of what was going on to take the shot. This wasn't a hit. It was a warning," Gibbs said.

"The question is for what?" Ziva asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs walked into Tim's room in Bethesda and found him there with Ducky. "Hey, Duck. McGee, how you doing?"

"I'm fine, Boss. The docs say the bullet went through and through. Any news on my shooter?" Tim asked.

Gibbs turned to Ducky. "Ducky, give us a few minutes?"

"Of course. I think I'll just go grab a cup of coffee," Ducky said before getting up and quickly leaving the room.

"What's going on?" Tim asked.

"Any idea who would want to hurt you, McGee?" Gibbs asked. McGee had mentioned earlier that he didn't know who would do something like this, but it had been right after he'd been shot. He'd been in shock. He might have a clearer idea of who was responsible now.

"Aside from someone connected to an old case, no," Tim said.

Gibbs shook his head. "No, it wasn't about a case. I doubt it was connected to NCIS at all."

"How can you be sure?" Tim asked.

"Because whoever did this didn't intend to kill you," Gibbs told him.

Tim frowned. "He shot me. How do you figure he didn't want to kill me?"

"We got a look at the security cameras. Whoever did this had plenty of chances to take a kill shot, but he didn't fire until Ziva had started pushing you out of the way. He wanted to make sure that if he did hit you, he wouldn't kill you," Gibbs explained.

"Why? Why would anyone do that?" Tim asked. Well, he knew why. Someone was trying to send a message, but what was the message? What could someone be trying to tell him?

"I was hoping you would know. This was not about NCIS, McGee. It was personal. Someone is trying to send a message," Gibbs said.

"Well, I don't know who or Why. I can't think of anyone I've pissed off enough to do this. It's not like I owe anyone money or anything," Tim said.

Gibbs went and took the chair Ducky had vacated. "Have you gotten any strange phone calls or anything lately?"

"No, nothing like that," Tim said.

"Have you gotten the feeling that you've been followed at all lately?"

"No, Boss. Wait, you think he's been following me?" Tim asked.

"How else do you think he knew you were there today, McGee. It's not like it was planned," Gibbs said.

Tim shook his head. "I honestly don't know who would do this to me, Boss."

Gibbs believed him. Tim was incapable of lying. He wasn't hiding anything. He honestly had no idea who was doing this. "I'm gonna ask Tony and Ziva to look through your past for a possible connection. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that you may have an enemy that you don't remember. We have to treat this like any other case."

Tim nodded. "I understand, Boss. I don't think they're going to find anything though. I'd remember if I had an enemy."

Gibbs stood up. "The answer is somewhere in your past, McGee. It has to be. While we're looking for a possible paper trail, I want you to think. It's possible the answer is in your memory. It's possible that you did just forget."

Tim nodded.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Tony was at his desk going through Tim's personnel file. He sighed in Boredom. "If I have to go through McBoring's life for much longer, I'm gonna scream! What are you doing?" he asked Ziva.

"Currently I am on his former relationships," Ziva said. She felt a bit strange doing this, but there was no choice. The secret was likely in McGee's past and he did not seem to remember it. This was the only way to go about it.

Tony snorted. "That'll take about two seconds."

"Tony, don't you think you should take this a bit more seriously?" Ziva asked. "McGee did just get shot."

Tony sighed. "I know that, Ziva, okay? This is my way of dealing with it. This is how I stop myself from going out and breaking someone's neck.

Ziva looked at him for a minute and then went back to work. After a minute, she narrowed her eyes at the document she was looking at. "Tony, come over here."

Tony immediately got up and went over to his partner. "What's up?"

Ziva held up the document she was looking at. "It is a marriage license and it has McGee's name on it. McGee is married."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs was currently in his car on his way back to the office. He slowed down as he came to a red light. He glanced out his rearview mirror and noticed a black sedan. He frowned. That car had been with him practically since he left the hospital.

Gibbs barely noticed as the light turned green. He immediately turned right. It wasn't the way he'd normally go, but he wanted to see what the other car would do. He watched as the car followed him and then he took a left hand turn. The other car did the same. This guy was following him.

Gibbs sped up a little and the other car did the same, only much faster. The car was pretty much on top of him.

"What the hell?" Gibbs asked no one in particular before speeding up. The other car did the same and then smacked right into his car. It was clear the bastard was trying to run him off the road.

Gibbs sped up as much as he could, but the car behind him matched his speed and slammed into him again, causing him to veer off the road and run smack dab into a telephone pole. He hit his head against the side of the door.

Gibbs grabbed his injured head for a second and then proceeded to get out of car. He looked over to find the other car, but it was long gone. Whoever it was must have sped off as soon as he hit him.

A man who must have witnessed what happened got out of the car and rushed over to Gibbs. "Are you okay, sir? Do you need an ambulance?"

"No. Did you see where the other car went?" Gibbs asked.

"I think it sped up straight ahead, but it's long gone now," the man said.

Gibbs slammed his hand on the hood of the car angrily, causing something that must have been broken in the crash to fall off. "Damn it! What about a license plate?"

"Sorry, it happened so fast. Are you sure you're okay?" the man asked.

"I'm better than this son of a bitch is going to be," Gibbs said angrily before taking out his phone and dialing a number.


	3. Chapter 3

Tim was in his hospital half asleep when Tony and Ziva walked in. Ducky had left hours ago at his insistence that he would be okay.

"Well, hey, McStranger," Tony said with a smile on his face.

Tim tried to sit up a little more, an action he instantly regretted as it aggravated his injured arm. "That supposed to mean something, Tony?"

Tony grinned and held out the copy of his partner's marriage license. "Apparently our little McGeek is McMarried."

Tim took the document and sighed. He really should've seen this coming. He should've known the minute that Gibbs told him about the background check that they would find out.

Tony pulled out a photo from his pocket and held it up. "Came across this too."

Tim leaned forward and angrily snatched the picture out of his hands, ignoring the pain it caused him to do so. "You mean you looked through my desk until you found it."

"I gotta say, I never pegged you for a redhead. That's more Gibbs' territory. She seems way out of your league," Tony said jokingly.

Tim glared at him. "Let's get something straight. You wanna come after me about the other woman I've had in my life, you go ahead. You can come at me for Amanda, the girl that nearly bled me dry, even Abby. But she is off limits," he said firmly, indicating the woman in the picture.

Tony held up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, calm down, Probie. I didn't mean to piss you off. It was just a joke."

"You don't joke about her," Tim told him.

"She meant a lot to you. What happened to her?" Ziva asked.

"Nothing. Nothing you're thinking of anyway. She's still alive. I just don't know where she is," Tim said sadly.

"Oh, Abby's gonna kill you. You were still married to a living, breathing woman when you went out with her. She's gonna kick your ass. And Gibbs is going to flay what's left of you," Tony said smirking.

"Abby already knows. You really think I'd get that involved with her without telling her that I was technically married? I told her not long after we started dating. She only really saw us as a casual thing, so it didn't matter much to her," Tim said. Truthfully, if he was honest with himself, their relationship wasn't much more to him either. He'd told himself that he loved Abby, but now he realized she was really just his rebound. Someone to help him forget how much he still loved his wife.

"What do you mean when you say you are technically married? Are you legally separated?"

"Legally, no. Physically, however, I'm not sure how it's possible for two people to be more separated. I haven't seen her in years. I came home one day to find a 'Dear John' letter in our bedroom that left me with more questions than answers," Tim explained.

"I am sorry, McGee. You did not deserve that," Ziva said. McGee was a kind, decent man. He did not deserve for his wife to just leave him without any explanation.

"Why didn't you file for divorce?" Tony wondered. According to the law, McGee could've been granted a divorce without his wife's consent do to abandonment.

Tim shifted uncomfortably. "I couldn't bring myself to. Look, this has nothing to do with the case. Can we please just keep this between us?"

"We don't know for sure that it's not involved. You know my theory about the wife," Tony said. He always suspected the wife when guys were murdered or attacked.

Tim glared at him. "My wife is not a killer! She would never hurt me."

Tony opened his mouth to argue, but Ziva elbowed him and gave him a warning look. Nothing Tony said was going to help right now and knowing him, he would've ended up saying something stupid and insensitive. "Of course we will keep your secret, McGee. We will not say anything to Gibbs unless it becomes clear that it is connected."

Tim smiled gratefully at Ziva. "Thanks."

"We had better go. Get some rest, McGee," Ziva said.

Tim nodded and watched them leave. He then caroused the picture of his wife for a minute and then placed it on the table next to him before closing his eyes in an attempt to sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs found himself in Vance's office after being forced to explain the 'accident' he'd just been in.

"You need to go into protective custody," Vance said.

"No," Gibbs said simply. No way in hell was he going to some safe house with guards watching his every move. He could protect himself.

"Gibbs, someone just tried to kill you," Vance reminded him.

"I disagree. If the son of a bitch really wanted me dead, he would've tried harder to finish the job. He was making a point, just like he was with McGee," Gibbs said.

"So you have connected the two."

"I don't believe in coincidences," Gibbs said. He knew this wasn't random. It was all connected. He wasn't sure exactly how, but he knew it was.

"I agree, which means this is an attack on your team and NCIS," Vance said.

Gibbs shook his head. "No, I don't think so."

"How can you be sure?" Vance asked. The screamed an attack on Team Gibbs. Why else would they attack two of its members?

"My gut," Gibbs said simply. He knew Vance was right that it looked like it was about the job, but something inside him said it wasn't. He didn't know what it was, but something told him this was personal.

"And if your gut's wrong? Who knows who's going to be next? Your whole team needs to be protected," Vance said.

"I've got agents on McGee. I'll make sure the others don't leave the building alone. They'll be safe," Gibbs said.

"And what about you?" Vance asked. He knew Gibbs well enough to know that he wouldn't follow his own orders. He would leave alone and probably without telling anyone.

"I'll be fine, Leon. Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna get back to work so I can find out who the hell is doing this and why," Gibbs said.

Vance sighed. He knew a lost cause when he saw one. He wasn't gonna win this one. "Go."

Gibbs turned around and left without another word.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night, Tim was asleep in his room while the shadow of someone leaned over him. Tim slowly began to wake up. He opened his eyes and was shocked by what he saw. Right in front of him was a face he hadn't seen in a very long time. The face of his wife.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs entered his house and closed the door behind him. He didn't intend to stay long. He was just going to grab a change of clothes and head back out.

Just as he'd taken a step further into the house, he heard a noise from upstairs. He immediately took out his gun and held it out in front of him before slowly making his way up the stairs. He stopped at the top and listened. He heard another noise a second later coming from his bedroom. He took cover right behind the door and quietly pushed the door open before stepping inside.

Gibbs stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who it was and lowered his weapon. She wasn't facing him, but he knew who it was. He wasn't sure how she was there, but she was.

The intruder finally turned around to face him. "Hello, Jethro."

Gibbs was quiet for several seconds and then spoke so quietly that he was practically inaudible. "Shannon."


	4. Chapter 4

Gibbs couldn't move. He could barely even breathe. Every day for nearly twenty years he'd dreamed about the return of his wife and daughter. He knew it would never happen, but he couldn't let go of the dream. And now after twenty years it was right in front of him. His wife was standing less than ten feet away from him.

Shannon took several steps towards her husband and placed her hand on his cheek. "It's okay. It's really me.

Gibbs slowly reached up and placed his hand over hers. She didn't disappear like he half expected her to. She was real. He didn't know how, but she was. "Shannon."

Shannon smiled. "Yeah. It's me."

"H…How?" Gibbs whispered.

"It's a long story and I promise I will explain it all to you, but right now we have big problems. We need to get out of here," Shannon said seriously.

"Get out? What?" Gibbs asked in confusion. He couldn't think right now. He couldn't think about anything except for who was standing right in front of him. His brain was jumbled by the fact that he was actually talking to his 'dead' wife. Nothing else was getting through.

"I know. I know you're having a hard time understanding all of this. You're probably reeling just from the sight of me, and I wish I could give you time to come to terms with this, but I can't. We need to go now," Shannon said.

"Go?" Gibbs asked. He was having just a little bit of trouble wrapping his head around all this. His wife had just popped up after being dead for nearly twenty years and now she was trying to hustle him out the door.

"Yes. We have to leave right now and pray they don't already know I'm here," Shannon said.

"Wait. You're alive," Gibbs said in astonishment. His head was just starting to come to terms with that fact. This was really happening.

"Yes," Shannon confirmed.

"What about Kelly?"

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Kelly? Is that really you?" Tim asked his wife. It certainly looked like her, but he couldn't believe she was really there with him. It had been nine years since he'd seen her last. He'd given up hope a long time ago that he'd ever see her again.

"Yeah, it's me. You have to get up. We gotta go," Kelly said urgently before going over to the small closet and grabbing his clothes.

"Whoa, slow down a second here. What are you doing here? Where have you been?" Tim asked.

"There's no time to explain right now. Right now we need to get the hell out of here. Here, you need to get dressed," Kelly said before handing him his clothes.

Tim leaned forward and grabbed her arm with his good one. "Would you just stop! Give me a second to process this!"

Kelly sighed. "Tim, I'm sorry. I never wanted this to happen. Look, I know you have questions and a lot of them, but they're going to have to wait. We need to get out of here."

"Why? What's going on, Kelly?" Tim asked.

"I can't explain right now. I will, just not now," Kelly said.

"That's not good enough. Kelly, you left me without a word. Why? I thought we were happy," Tim said. It was a question he'd been waiting nine years to ask. Why had his wife left him? What had he done to drive her away?

Kelly closed her eyes sadly. "We were."

"Then I don't understand. Why did you leave? You didn't even have the decency to say goodbye to me," Tim said, his voice laced with pain and anger.

"I couldn't. I knew if I tried, I wouldn't be able to go through with it," Kelly said. Leaving her husband had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. She wouldn't have been able to while facing him.

"And that would've been bad?" Tim asked.

"Look, I will explain everything later, but right now we need to leave. Please, just trust me on this," Kelly begged.

Tim shook his head sadly. "I can't. I haven't seen you in nine years. Now you expect me to just run away with you like nothing happened? No, I'm not going to do that. You want me to go with you then you're gonna have to tell me why, and you're gonna have to do it here and now.

Kelly sighed. "Okay."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Kelly's fine, Jethro. You'll see her soon," Shannon promised.

Gibbs let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding in. The whole in his heart had finally been filled. His family was back. He could breathe again. Though this all left more questions than answers. "I…I don't understand. How?"

"I will explain everything later, but right now we need to get out of here. Our lives depend on it," Shannon said grimly.

"Shannon, ten minutes ago, I didn't think you had a life. Do you understand that? I thought you were dead. _Dead_," he said again for extra emphasis.

"I know. And I'm so sorry. I never wanted that, but there was no choice. Just like there's no choice now. The attacks today were only the beginning," Shannon said.

Gibbs was immediately brought back to the attack he'd gotten on the road and McGee's shooting. He'd actually forgotten for a minute. He supposed walking in to find your thought dead wife in your house could do that to you. "You know about that? How? It just happened."

"Let's just say I have my own eyes around her. Look, we can get more into this later. Right now we need to get out of dodge. The attacks on you and Timothy may have just been warnings to get to us, but it won't stop there. These people are dangerous. They will kill us all," Shannon said gravely.

That statement left him with so many questions he wasn't even sure where to start. He decided to start with the one that was most important at the moment. "Who? The Reynosa Cartel? The Reynosa's are dead. The last two were killed a few months ago."

Shannon laughed humorlessly. "You don't think that ends it, do you? You're smarter than that, Jethro. There will always be someone else to take charge. There are plenty of the original Cartel still alive and they would do anything to see me dead. I thought that once I was dead, that would end and you could live freely. And that seemed to work for a while. But somehow they found out. That was a few years ago. It seemed that they were going to leave you alone for a while, but it looks like they decided to use you to get to me.

"You need to explain this to me, Shannon. Because I'm having trouble understanding any of this. Were you in the Witness Protection Program or something?" Gibbs asked. That was the only thing he could think of for how she could just disappear without anyone knowing.

Shannon took his hand and led him over to the bed where they both sat down. She would have to explain it all to him now. She should've known that he would not just leave with her without an explanation. "Not exactly. I mean, we have been in hiding, but not with the help of the government. I don't know how he did it. When I woke up after the accident, one of my body guards were there."

Gibbs shook his head. "Your body guard was killed. He was shot in the head. That's what caused the accident."

"No, there was another. My mother hired him. He was ex-military. Apparently they'd planned for the worst. Kelly and I survived the accident, but they were going to make it so we didn't at the same time," Shannon said.

"Your mother knew you were alive?" Gibbs asked in shock. That surprised the hell out of him. Joanne had never let on even for a moment that she knew. How could she do that to him? How could she let him grieve knowing full well that the people he was grieving for were still alive?

"Yes. When I woke up, I wanted to call you immediately. When they told me that you thought I was dead, I wanted to make that call even more, and I wanted to kill my mother," Shannon said.

"But you didn't make that call. Why?" Gibbs asked. Joanne doing this to him was one thing, but how could Shannon. How could she just let him go on thinking that they were dead? She had to know the agony it was causing him.

"Because after I finished screaming and let my mother talk, what she said made sense. They would never stop, Jethro. No matter what they would never stop coming after us. I couldn't get away from it and neither could Kelly, but you could. I had to protect you," Shannon explained.

"Damn it, Shannon, I didn't want to be protected!" Gibbs said angrily. "My God, how could you possibly think that believing you were dead would be better? It left a whole in me so big that I thought it was going to destroy me. You should've told me so that I could protect _you_!"

Shannon shook her head sadly. "You couldn't. Nothing you could do would change what's happening now. Not even the fact that I didn't testify could protect me from them." It had been explained to her years ago that they would still come after her for seeing what she saw, just on the off chance that she'd change her mind.

"But Pedro Hernandez is dead. He's who you witnessed commit a crime," Gibbs said.

"Yes, but my testimony could take down the whole Cartel. They couldn't allow that to happen," Shannon said.

Gibbs rubbed his head tiredly. He was on information overload. He could hardly believe he was even having this conversation. Whatever he thought about the attacks on himself and McGee, this wasn't even in the ballpark.

"I know you're upset right now. I know you're probably furious at me and what I did, but we don't have time to deal with it right now. We need to get out of here before something else happens.

As if on cue, shots immediately started ringing out.


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs instinctively pulled Shannon down when he heard the shots and got on top of her.

Shannon pulled him off a couple of seconds later. "Damn it, I was hoping I had more time. Okay, we need to get out of her now."

Gibbs shook his head. "No, there's no way we'll make it. They've got us surrounded by now. We need to get to the basement. It's the only safe place right now."

Shannon nodded and let him lead her out of the room. In crouched positions to avoid bullets, they made their way down the stairs. Just as they did, the shots stopped. "Let's go before they reload."

Gibbs ran with her through the house and towards the basement. Just as they descended on the stairs, a second series of shots rang out.

"They're gonna come in after us soon. Do you have your gun?" Shannon asked.

Gibbs grabbed the spare he kept holstered at his ankle. "Left the usual one upstairs, but this will work fine. Though I don't recommend us staying her to get picked off.

"We're not going to. We're gonna get the hell out of here as soon as they storm the place. They'll only leave three or four out front and the rest will come in," Shannon said confidently.

"I take it you've been in this situation before," Gibbs said. He didn't like that one bit. He hated it actually. He hated that his wife had been fighting for her life and their daughter's while he was going around thinking they were dead.

"More than I've liked. You do understand we have to get out of here, right. We need to put as much distance as we can between us and them. It's the only way," Shannon said. She knew her husband well and she knew he wouldn't want to run, but they had no choice.

"For now. I won't stop looking for another way, but for now we'll get out dodge," Gibbs said. He never thought he'd say that. Running away went against everything he believed in. It was the coward's way out and he'd never ever considered it before. But things were different now. He knew what it was like to lose his family and there was no way in hell he was going to go through that again.

"I can live with that. So first we get the hell out of here. Then we need to stop at Bethesda."

Gibbs suddenly remembered McGee. Shannon had mentioned his name with familiarity. It was like she knew him. "Shannon, what does McGee have to do with what's going on here? How do you know him?"

"Jethro, we don't have time for anymore explanations and in any event it's not my story to tell. You'll find out everything soon, I promise," Shannon said.

Just then, they heard the front door open. "Okay, it's now or never," Shannon said before pulling out her own gun.

Gibbs just stared at her for a minute. "What the hell?

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, you think I survived twenty years on the run without being able to defend myself? Come on. When we make it outside, we start shooting. We'll only have a few seconds before the ones inside realize we made it out, so we take the first opportunity to make it to the car. Let's go."

Gibbs immediately followed her up the stairs. They quickly made sure the coast was clear and headed out the front door.

As soon as they made it out, they were confronted by two men with guns. They both immediately started shooting, taking them both out instantly.

"Go, go!" Shannon yelled before making a beeline for her care.

Gibbs yanked open the passenger door and practically jumped inside. He didn't even have the door closed before Shannon started peeling out. Before she really started going though, she shot out all four tires of the enemy's car.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Tim listened in shock as his wife explained to him how she and her mother had been running from drug dealers since she was a child. "Let me see if I can get this straight. You've pretty much been on the run since you were a kid?"

"Yeah, pretty much. It was really just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. My mother just happened to see these guys kill someone and she was going to testify against them. And even though she never testified, they're still after her, after us, and now unfortunately, they're after you," Kelly said sadly. She never wanted things to go this way. She never wanted Tim to be touched by the crazy life she lived.

"Why didn't you tell? How could you keep this from me?" Tim asked.

"Because it was my problem. I didn't want it to destroy your life like it had ours," Kelly said.

"Damn it, Kelly, don't you get it? My problems, your problems, they're the same damn thing!" Tim said angrily. Didn't she understand? He didn't want to be protected from her and her problems. He wanted to be there to help her fight them. That was what a marriage was. It was working together to solve issues. Yes, this is a significantly bigger issue than most couples face, but he could've still helped, even if it was just by running with her.

"I know what you're saying, Tim, I do, but this is not your typical marital problem. This is not something you expect when you agree to marry someone," Kelly told him.

"So what you thought I'd leave you if you told me?" Tim asked. If she really thought that then she didn't know him at all.

"No. I was afraid that you wouldn't. I didn't want you involved in the freak show that had become my life. I didn't want you to get hurt because of me," Kelly said. She really had just been trying to protect her husband. Something that obviously didn't work.

"Then why did you marry me? You knew all of this when you agreed to be my wife. Why would you do that if you didn't want me involved?" Tim asked.

"Because I loved you. And because of that, I convinced myself that things would be okay. I told myself that our enemies believed us dead and that made it safe enough for me to be with you. That we were reasonably safe and that the danger of my life would never touch yours. I was deluding myself and I knew it, but I couldn't stop. It wasn't until it became clear that the Cartel did indeed know we were alive and was after us that I forced myself to see the danger I was putting you in. I knew I had to let me go," Kelly said sadly.

"No, you didn't!" Tim practically yelled. Every time she spoke about leaving him or 'letting him go'. Didn't she see that he didn't want to be let go? "You're my wife. I took a vow to stand by you for better or worse."

"Somehow I doubt you had this in mind when you made that promise," Kelly said.

"It doesn't matter. I loved you, don't you understand that. I wanted a life with you, whether it was in a small town in the middle of nowhere or on the run for the rest of our lives," Tim told her. If that didn't make her see that he was serious, he didn't know what would.

"Well, then you're gonna get your wish. We get to be together on the run for the rest of our lives. Because that's the only way either of us will have a life at all. You are now no safer than I am," Kelly said guiltily. She felt bad that she'd placed her husband in this kind of danger. If it weren't for her, he'd have a safe and normal life. Now he would never have either of those things again.

Tim sighed. He was still angry, very angry, but he would have to set it aside for now. If the danger really was that great, he couldn't ignore it. He and Kelly could hash all this out when they were safe. "Alright, what do we do?"

Kelly stood up from her chair. "You get dressed and we get the hell out of here. The sooner we're gone, the better."

Tim immediately pulled the IV from his arm and started getting up. "Okay, we'll do it your way, but I need to make a call first."

"What? No, you can't call anyone, Tim. It's not safe," Kelly said.

"I am not leaving my team to wonder what happened to me. I need to call my boss. He won't say anything to anybody," Tim said. He wasn't going to leave without at least giving Gibbs a heads up. He owed the man that much.

"Actually, you don't need to worry about that," Kelly said. She knew exactly who Tim was referring to and that wouldn't be a problem at all.

"What do you mean?" Tim asked.

Before Kelly had the chance to answer, they heard the door begin to open. Kelly took a gun from her where her ankle was.

The door soon opened, revealing Shannon. Kelly immediately pointed the gun downward. "Jeez, Mom, you scared the crap out of me. I nearly shot you."

"Good. That means your instincts are right where they need to be," Shannon said.

Tim, meanwhile, was staring at his wife in shock. He'd never once seen Kelly pick up a gun. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"Oh, please. I've always had this. I just never let you see it," Kelly said.

"Hi, Timothy. It's good to see you again, but we really need to go now. You need to get dressed," Shannon told him.

"Did you get Dad?" Kelly asked.

Shannon nodded. "He's in the car, though he's not real happy about that fact." Jethro had wanted to come with her. He hadn't wanted to let her out of his sight, not that she could blame him.

"Wait, Dad? I thought you said your father was dead," Tim said to his wife. "Let me guess, another lie. Why am I even surprised?"

"Okay, I get it, you're pissed. You have a right to be, but we don't have time to deal with it right now," Kelly said.

"She's right. I just avoided a team sent to kill us. We need to go," Shannon said.

"Alright, alright, give me a minute," Tim said before taking his clothes and going into the bathroom. He changed as quickly as he could given the state of his arm and walked back out into the main room. "Okay, how are we going to get passed the guards outside? Wait a minute, how did you two get passed them?"

Kelly smirked. "Let's just say that they're a little tied up at the moment."

Tim shook his head. "I don't even want to know. Okay, listen, Sharon, I know that this is really bad and all, but I can't leave without at least calling my boss to let him know I'm okay."

"When you get in the car, you'll find that that call isn't necessary. Oh, and I'm afraid I wasn't honest with you, Tim. My name isn't Sharon. It's Shannon," she told him.

Shannon. Why did that name fill him with a weird sense of déjà vu? Then he remembered. Gibbs' wife's name had been Shannon. His daughter's name had been… He trailed off that thought as realization hit him and his eyes grew as big as saucers. "Oh My God!"

"Okay, calm down," Kelly started.

"Calm down? You… You two… And Gibbs… I'm dead!" Tim exclaimed. There was no way around. He was married to Gibbs' daughter. The man was going to kill him. He didn't need to worry about drug dealers because they wouldn't get the chance to do him in. There would be nothing left once Gibbs was through with him.

Kelly gave him a look. "I tell you that professional killers want us dead and you barely break a sweat, but you're afraid of my father?"

"Yes," Tim said matter-of-factly. "I don't know these killers from Adam, but I know Gibbs and he will kill me."

"He won't kill you, Timothy. I won't let him," Shannon assured him.

"We should go before they find us," Kelly said.

"What's it matter. I'm gonna die anyway," Tim said before heading towards the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Gibbs paced the area in front of Shannon's car. He still couldn't believe he was thinking things like that. _Shannon's_ car. His wife was alive. She was in there right now getting McGee and his daughter, who was also alive.

McGee. That really confused him. Shannon had mentioned by name earlier in a way that left no room for doubt that she knew him. How? What was McGee's connection to his family? Had he known all along that they were alive? He couldn't imagine Tim knowing and not telling him, but then again, he never thought Joanne would do something like that either. Truthfully he just didn't know anything for sure anymore. Except for one thing. If McGee did know that Shannon and Kelly were alive and that they were his family, he would kill him.

Gibbs stopped as Shannon came out with McGee and a beautiful young woman who looked just like Shannon except with his cool blue eyes. "Kelly."

Kelly smiled at her father. "Hi, Dad."

Gibbs immediately stepped forward and pulled his daughter into his arms, something he never thought he would be able to do again. And it was amazing. It was like he was finally alive again. Like he'd been a walking corpse for the past twenty years and was brought back to life when his family returned to him. "Oh my God. I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Daddy. You have no idea how much," Kelly said as she cried tears of joy.

"Okay, I hate to break this up, I really do, but we need to get out of here," Shannon said. She wanted more than anything for the three of them to have a happy family reunion, but right now there was no time. It wouldn't be long before their enemies caught up with them.

Kelly finally let go of her father. "Right. Mom, give me the keys. I'm faster."

Shannon immediately tossed her daughter the car keys.

Tim groaned. "I'll start praying."

Gibbs turned to his agent with a raised eyebrow.

"She makes Ziva's driving look safe," Tim said as though it said everything. And it did. On the plus side though, if Kelly killed them all in a huge accident, Gibbs couldn't beat him to death when he found out he was married to his daughter.

"How long, McGee," Gibbs asked.

Tim didn't need any elaboration. He knew what his boss was asking. "Like five minutes. I didn't know before tonight, I swear."

Gibbs nodded. He believed him. McGee wasn't capable of lying. He still had a lot of questions regarding the younger man's involvement in all of this, but he would wait until they were all safe.

"Okay, let's go," Kelly said before jumping into the driver's seat. Shannon took the passenger side, leaving Gibbs and a very nervous Tim in the backseat.

Kelly immediately pulled the car out of the parking lot and started speeding down the street.

Gibbs grabbed the car door handle and held on tight. This was fast even for him. "Who the hell taught you how to drive?"

"I did," Shannon piped up.

"Well, ya taught her wrong! The objective is to get from place to place, not send us all to the morgue!" Gibbs said.

Shannon chuckled. "Trust me; her driving is a blessing in disguise. It has saved our asses many times."

Tim groaned in the backseat and held his injured arm.

"You alright, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

Kelly looked in the rearview mirror and saw that her husband was in pain. "Mom, I grabbed some pain killers for Tim while I was at the hospital. They're in my bag."

Shannon grabbed the pills from her daughter's purse and handed them to Gibbs who handed them to Tim.

Tim gratefully took a couple of them and swallowed. "Thanks, Kel,"

Gibbs looked between his agent and his daughter. There was that familiarity again. The way Tim shortened Kelly's name made it real clear that there was some kind of bond there. He guessed that they were friends. At least that had better be all they were.

Gibbs didn't have much time to contemplate those thoughts because his phone began ringing. He took it out and saw that it was Abby. She was probably worried because he hadn't gone back to NCIS yet.

"Do not answer it, Jethro. The line could be tapped," Shannon warned.

Gibbs hesitated and looked back down at his still ringing phone. He didn't feel right ignoring it. It was Abby. It felt wrong not answering her call. She was like a daughter to him. Then again, his actual daughter was with him and answering it could potentially put her at risk. He couldn't allow that.

Once the phone stopped ringing, Shannon addressed her husband again. "Throw it out the window, Jethro. It's too dangerous. You have to cut all ties. You too, Timothy."

Gibbs sighed and tossed his cellphone out the window. He then held his hand out to Tim. "Give me your phone, McGee."

Tim immediately handed over his cellphone and watched his boss dispose of it.

"I'm sorry, guys. I know how hard this is for you both," Shannon said. She knew both these men hated what they were doing right now, especially Jethro. Running away from a problem went against everything he stood for. He preferred to take his problems head on. Unfortunately, taking this problem head on would result in all their deaths.

"Don't be. There's nowhere I'd rather be," Gibbs said. While he absolutely abhorred the idea of going on the run, he had his family back. That was the only thing that mattered to him. He would go anywhere as long as they were there.

"If I'd had it my way, I would've been with you the whole time," Tim said. He was still angry at being lied to and abandoned, but he'd meant what he said to Kelly in his room. His life was with her. It didn't matter where they were as long as she was with him.

"You are going to explain that when we get to wherever the hell we're going," Gibbs said to Tim. It wasn't a question, it was an order. The only reason he wasn't demanding to know now was because he had a feeling the answer wasn't going to make him very happy and if he had to kill McGee, he'd prefer to do it when they weren't mobile.

Tim gulped. "Yes, Boss."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Abby rushed into the bullpen and looked around frantically. When she saw Tony, she ran to him immediately. "Tony!"

"Whoa, Abs, what's wrong?" Tony asked as he grabbed her by the shoulders.

"It's Gibbs. Something's wrong with him," Abby cried.

"Why do you think that, Abby?" Ziva asked as she joined them.

"He didn't answer my call. I called him and he just didn't answer. He always answers my calls," Abby said.

"Abs, I'm sure he just didn't have his phone on him or something. Things have been a little hectic today," Tony said. With McGee getting shot and Gibbs getting run off the road, it wasn't all that surprising that Gibbs could be a little off his game.

Abby shook his head. "No, that's not it because I called him a second later and it went straight to voicemail!"

Tony had to admit that didn't sound good, especially given that there was someone out there gunning for at least two members of their team.

Just then, Director Vance came down the stairs urgently. "DiNozzo, David, with me."

"What's wrong, Director?" Tony asked.

"We got a report of shots fired at Gibbs house. Let's move," Vance ordered.

"No, Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed.

"It's okay. Wait here. We'll call you as soon as we know something," Tony promised before he and Ziva rushed to keep up with Vance.


	7. Chapter 7

Vance, Tony, and Ziva made it to Gibbs' house less than fifteen minutes later. The place was surrounded by cop cars and there were two local LEO's standing outside. The three agents immediately got out of the car and headed towards the detectives. Vance took out his badge. "Director Vance, NCIS. These are agents DiNozzo and David."

"Detective Nickels, Metro PD. We searched the entire area. There's no sign of your agent."

"What about the shooters. Any sign of them?" Vance asked.

"Two of them," Nickels said as he led them over towards two bodies. "They won't be talking though.

Vance looked at the two men, but found that he didn't recognize either of them. "Thank you, Detective, but we'll be taking it from here."

"Now just a minute, Director…"

"This is an NCIS matter, Detective. Our people. I'll be overseeing this investigation personally. End of discussion," Vance said, dismissing the man completely before turned to Tony and Ziva. "Call Doctor Mallard to come and deal with the bodies."

Ziva immediately took out her phone and walked away from the two men.

"Alright, DiNozzo, if there is anything that you three have been keeping from me in regards to this increasingly dangerous situation, you need to tell me now," Vance said in an authoritarian tone. Gibbs and his team had a pension for keeping him the dark in certain circumstances, especially when it turned personal, which this clearly had. That wasn't something he was going to stand for this time.

Tony shook his head. "There's nothing, Director. I'm just as clueless about this thing as you are. Look, the fact that Gibbs isn't here is a good thing, right? And two dirt bags are dead. Gibbs probably took them out and got away."

Vance glanced at the driveway and then back at Tony. "His car's in the driveway, DiNozzo."

There was a very telling silence between the two men. Both knew what this probably meant, but neither was willing to say it out loud.

Just then, Ziva made her way back over. "Ducky is on his way."

"I want the protection on McGee doubled. We don't need two missing agents," Vance said.

Just then Tony's phone started ringing. He immediately picked it up. "DiNozzo. What?" he asked in shocked and horrified tone.

Tony listened, becoming more and more horrified and angry by the minute. "Well, find them, you idiot!" He apparently didn't like what the man said next because he let out an angry noise and hung up the phone.

"What is it, Tony?" Ziva asked in concern.

"It's a bit late to be worrying about more protection for McGee. That was one of the guys we had on him. He's gone."

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Twenty minutes later, Tony and Ziva entered Tim's hospital room. "It does not look like there was a struggle," Ziva said.

"He was shot and probably on heavy pain medication. How much struggle could he have put up?" Tony asked grimly. He was passed the point where he could think optimistically. Gibbs and McGee were both missing and they both had targets on their backs.

Ziva began to look around. She opened the closet and found it empty. "Tony, his clothes are gone. They would not dress him just to abduct him."

"Maybe they held him at gunpoint and forced him to get dressed himself," Tony suggested. That was actually was a comforting thought. It meant that he was still alive when he left.

Just then a tall man with dark hair entered the room. Tony glared at him. "What the hell, Daniels? Your only job was to sit there and make sure no one unauthorized got in here. Apparently you're too stupid to even pull that off."

Agent Daniels glared back at him. "Screw you, DiNozzo. I did my job to the best of my ability. It's not my fault some crazy chic attacked me from behind."

"Did you see her face at all?" Ziva asked.

"Only for like a second and it was just a glance. She had red hair. That's all I know," Daniels said.

Tony glanced at the nightstand by the bed and saw the picture that he and Ziva had brought of McGee's wife. It was a long shot, but Daniels did say red hear. He picked up the picture and held it up. "This wouldn't be her, would it?"

Daniels looked at the picture. "It's possible, but I'm not sure. Like I said, I didn't get a good look."

"Alright, get out of here," Tony ordered.

"You do not think McGee's wife had anything to do with this, do you?" Ziva asked. The idea was preposterous. McGee had not even seen his wife in several years. Why would she come back just to kill him?

"You know how I feel about the wife," Tony said.

"But what would her motive be? McGee is not rich and it is not as if they are really together anyway. If she were going to kill him, she would have done it years ago," Ziva said.

"Well, we should look into it anyway. What was her name again?" Tony asked.

"I believe it was Kelly. Kelly Gordon," Ziva said.

"Okay, we'll do a background check on her and put a BOLO out. Also, this hospital must have security cameras. Let's see if we can't get our hands on them," Tony said.

Ziva nodded and quickly went to do just that.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

By the next morning, Tony was getting really frustrated. They still knew next to nothing about what happened to Gibbs or McGee. Why was it that it was always the personal cases that were the hardest to solve?

Tony looked up to see Ducky coming his way. "We still don't know anything, Ducky."

Ducky nodded. "Yes, well sometimes no news is good news."

"Yeah, well, I don't think this is one of those times. If he could've, Gibbs would've contacted us by now," Tony said. He knew his boss very well. He would find some way to let them know what was going on, even if he was unable to come back. It meant something was seriously wrong that he didn't.

"We must try not to think the worst, Anthony," Ducky said.

Just then, Ziva came into the room.

"Please tell me you have something," Tony begged.

"I have something. I have the security footage from the hallway outside of McGee's room. I finally managed to get security at the hospital off their asses and into steer," Ziva said.

"Gear, Ziva, into gear," Tony corrected. He was about to ask what was on the footage when his phone rang. He picked it up. "DiNozzo. What? How the hell is that possible. "Alright, alright, I get it. Thanks," he said before hanging up.

"What is it?" Ziva asked.

"That was the guy I had helping with the background check on Kelly Gordon. Apparently McGee's MIA wife doesn't exist," Tony said.

"Wife? Timothy is not married, is he?" Ducky asked.

"We just found out yesterday. He's technically married, but he hasn't seen her in years," Tony explained.

"What do you mean she does not exist, Tony?" Ziva asked.

"I mean Kelly Gordon doesn't exist. All her information was falsified. More proof to support my theory about the wife being the likely culprit," Tony said.

"This does not make any sense. Even if this woman did want to hurt McGee, why would she go after Gibbs? He is nothing to her," Ziva said.

It was a good question, and one Tony didn't have an answer for. All he knew was that it could not be a coincidence that this woman had lied about her identity and McGee had been taken by a woman that fit her description. "That's what we have to figure out. Let's see the security footage."

Ziva immediately handed him a DVD.

Tony was about to put it in his computer when he heard Abby's voice. "Tony!"

"Abs, please tell me you're here because you have something," Tony said.

"Yeah, I do and it's really hinky. I was able to ID one of the shooters from their finger prints. His name is Alonzo Ricardo. He was arrested five years ago for assault and battery, but he wasn't a citizen, so they decided to just deport him," Abby explained.

"Why would some low level criminal from Mexico attack Gibbs?" Tony wondered.

"Oh, I wouldn't say he's low level. I recognized the name so I decided to dig a little deeper. It turns out Ricardo was a part of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico. The Reynosa Cartel," Abby said.

"The Reynosas? But we stopped them," Ziva said.

"I'm guessing the drug cartel business is a lot like the Mob. You stop one and another just steps up to take the reins," Tony said.

"But why go after Gibbs now? And why McGee?" Ziva asked. None of this was making sense. First they were thinking that McGee's wife was responsible and now the Reynosa Cartel. What connected all of this?

"Why don't we just look at the DVD and see who took Timothy?" Ducky suggested.

Tony nodded and inserted the DVD into his computer. He waited for it to load and then put it on the plasma. Soon the outside of Tim's room came into view. They all watched as a red headed woman came up behind Daniels and pistol whipped him.

Tony winced. "Ouch! That's gotta hurt."

Daniels looked dazed and confused on the monitors before finally losing consciousness. The team then watched as the woman dragged him away.

"She is quite capable in battle," Ziva said. She would be impressed with how the woman handled herself if not for the fact that she'd kidnapped her partner.

"Why couldn't she look at the camera? Then we'd know for sure," Tony said. He really believed it was McGee's wife, but he never saw her face, so he couldn't be sure.

Soon the woman came back and entered the room. Tony fast forwarded until another woman came onto the scene. It was another red head.

Ducky frowned. The woman looked slightly familiar, but he couldn't place her. It didn't help that he couldn't see all of her face.

A few seconds later, they were watching as the two women came out with McGee. "He does not look like he is being threatened. Though he does like nervous, and a bit annoyed," Ziva observed.

Ducky's eyes were focused on the older woman, who was more visible than the others. "Anthony, can you zoom in on her?"

Tony groaned. "Uh, that's not exactly my forte, Ducky."

"I can do it," Abby said before going over to Tony's computer and messing around with it for a minute. Soon the older woman was enlarged.

"What is it, Ducky?" Ziva asked.

Ducky rushed over to Gibbs' desk. "I've seen her before. Or at least a picture of her." He went rummaging through Gibbs' desk until he found what he was looking for. He then held up a picture. It was the same woman on the screen except that she was younger in the photo. "That is Gibbs' wife."

Tony snorted. "Which one?"

"The first one," Ducky said.

"You mean the second," Abby corrected.

"No, Abigail. I mean the first," Ducky said pointedly.

"But his first wife is dead," Ziva said.

"Apparently not," Ducky said. He didn't know how such a thing was possible, but the woman on that tape was Shannon Gibbs.

Something soon clicked in Ziva's head. "Tony, McGee's wife, her name was Kelly."

Tony made the connection immediately, but shook his head. "No, it's impossible."

"Yet, in some strange way, it makes sense. We were looking for a connection. This is it. This is the missing piece we have been looking for. Gibbs, McGee, his wife, the Reynosa Cartel. We have been wondering how Gibbs would fit in with McGee's wife in the mix and how McGee would fit in with the Cartel, but it makes sense now. If Gibbs' family is alive and McGee is married to his daughter, it makes everything much clearer," Ziva said. It did seem out of the realm of possibilities, but somehow it also seemed like the only explanation that made sense.

"Indeed it does, Ziva. I believe I understand now why Jethro has yet to contact us. He and McGee are doing something that I never thought they would," Ducky said. Before today, he wouldn't have imagined it possible, not for Jethro anyway. He never would've even considered such a thing. But having one's dream come true after years of living in agony changed a person.

"What's that?" Tony asked.

"They're running."


	8. Chapter 8

Tim found himself being woken up from a blissful slumber by his boss' voice. "McGee. McGee, wake up," Gibbs was saying.

Tim opened his eyes to see that it was day. He immediately sat up straight. "Where are we?"

"Tennessee. At a safe house I had set up in case of emergencies. Come on," Shannon said before getting out. The others did as well and followed her inside.

Once inside, they were confronted by a tall man with a shaved head that screamed military. "Hey, Nick. Glad to see you made it."

"Same here. What you did was pretty risky," Nick told her.

"But necessary. Oh, Nick this is my husband Jethro and that's Timothy. Guys, this is Nick. He's the one that's been helping us all these years."

Gibbs gave the man a hard stare. "So you're the guy who faked my wife and daughter's deaths." He couldn't decide if he wanted to thank the man or kill him. He was glad that Shannon and Kelly had survived, but the pain of believing they were dead was still very raw.

"I was following orders, sir," Nick said.

"Okay, Jethro, enough. I know you're still angry, but focus that anger on me. I allowed it to continue," Shannon said before turning back to her bodyguard.

"You have the new ID's?" Shannon asked.

Nick nodded and grabbed a bunch of ID's from the end table next to the couch. "There are passports, driver's licenses, the works. The address of the new place I have you set up at is inside your passport. I suggest you go as soon as possible. Don't linger here too long."

"I don't intend to," Shannon assured him. She needed a couple of days for them all to adjust to what had just happened and to get Jethro and Timothy ready for a life on the run. After that, they would move.

"Alright. You know how to reach me if anything happens," Nick said before walking out the door.

Gibbs stared at his wife. It was amazing how acclimated she was to all this. She'd spoken like a pro. Though he supposed after twenty years of running, she was one.

"So what now?" Tim asked.

Gibbs turned to him. "Now you explain how you are a part of all this." He'd waited long enough. He wanted to know the connection between McGee and his family.

Tim gulped. He knew this was not going to end well for him. No matter how he tried to spin it, Gibbs was only going to hear one thing. That he was married to his daughter.

"I'm waiting, McGee," Gibbs said impatiently.

Tim took a deep breath. "Sure, Boss, just one second. Kelly, could stand in front of me please?"

"Why?" Kelly asked as walked over and positioned herself in front of her husband.

Tim put his hands on her arms. "Because I intend to use you as a human shield."

Gibbs glared. Oh, he knew for a fact now that he was going to hate this. Obviously Tim agreed. He could think of only one explanation. "You are not dating my daughter." It was a warning, not a question.

"No, Boss, we're not dating. It's more complicated than that," Tim said.

Gibbs took a step forward. "Then uncomplicated it."

"Okay, Jethro, calm down. It's not the end of the world. In fact, compared to what we're dealing with, it's practically nothing," Shannon said.

"I'll be the judge of that. Now someone tell me!" Gibbs demanded.

"Oh, I'll tell him since you're too chicken," Kelly told Tim.

"Well, he's not gonna kill you, is he?" Tim asked.

Kelly ignored him. "Dad, Tim and I met about eleven years ago. We dated for about a year and then we were married."

Gibbs just stared at them for a minute. It didn't really compute in his head at first. It took a second to really sink in. But when it did, a blinding rage filled him. McGee marrying his baby girl? Oh, hell no. "You're gonna wanna run now."

Tim moved to do just that, but Kelly pulled him back behind her.

Gibbs, meanwhile was furiously trying to get to McGee so he could beat the ever loving crap out of him, but Shannon kept pulling him back. "Get out of my way, Shannon."

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen. I am not gonna let you kill the boy, Jethro," Shannon said.

"Seriously, Dad, you need to calm down. You cannot kill my husband," Kelly said.

"You see, when you use words like that, it makes me wanna kill him more!" Gibbs said. He didn't want to hear the word 'husband' coming out of Kelly's mouth in regards to anyone. To him, she was still that same little girl that he'd lost all those years ago. He didn't want to hear about that little girl dating, let alone being married.

"Well, that's what he is. You're just going to have to get used to it. I love him. I love him so much that I selfishly married him even though I knew I shouldn't," Kelly said.

"I love her too, Boss. I know she's your daughter and all, but I can't change how I feel. I've loved her since the moment I met and I will continue to love her until the day I die," Tim said.

"That just may be sooner than you think," Gibbs informed him.

Kelly, meanwhile, turned to face Tim. "You still love me. Even after everything that's happened?" She was worried that he didn't anymore. He had good reason not to. Hell, he had good reason to hate her after the crap she put him through.

"I'll always love you. I can't say I'm exactly happy with you at the moment or that I've completely forgiven you, but I do love you. I always will," Tim told her.

"Okay, you two may want to save this for later because I think that Jethro's head is about to explode," Shannon told them.

"Boss, I know you're not happy about this, but I would never hurt her. I love her," Tim said again. He knew he was probably taking a chance with his life by talking to his boss right now, but he wanted to make sure things were perfectly clear.

Gibbs forced himself to calm down and count to ten. "Okay. You two, leave the room," he said to his wife and daughter. He was going to have a little chat with his new son-in-law.

Tim winced. "Um, I'd prefer it if they stayed."

"I don't give a rat's ass what you'd prefer right now. They go. We're talking," Gibbs told him.

"Okay, but he'd better be in one piece when you're done," Shannon warned.

"Mom!" Kelly protested.

"It's okay, honey. If he tries to kill him, we'll hear it," Shannon said.

Kelly hesitated, but eventually followed her mother out of the room, leaving Tim alone with a very volatile Gibbs.


	9. Chapter 9

Gibbs just stared at McGee for a minute, giving him the biggest glare he could manage. Then he began walking towards the younger man.

It took every ounce of courage Tim had not to back away and start running. The man was more terrifying to him right now than he'd ever been and that was saying a lot. But he had to hold it together. Gibbs wasn't just his boss anymore. He was his father-in-law now, and the only way Gibbs was going to respect him as his son-in-law was if he stood up to him. So as terrified as he was, he had to try to fight it.

Gibbs walked up to his agent until their faces were inches apart. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't lay the floor with you right now."

Tim swallowed. "Because Kelly loves me and I love her.

"She's my daughter, McGee!" Gibbs yelled.

Tim couldn't help but flinch a little at the angry tone, but he managed to compose himself pretty quickly. "I didn't know that. I didn't know you at all when I met Kelly. But honestly, it probably wouldn't have changed anything if I did. You can't help who you fall in love with.

"You can damn well try!" Gibbs said angrily. He knew was being unreasonable right now, but he didn't give a damn. Kelly was his daughter. He lost all reasoning when it came to her.

"I won't," Tim said quietly but firmly.

"You already did. You have dated other women while married my daughter. How do you explain that," Gibbs asked through gritted teeth. That had just occurred to him. McGee had dated Abby as well as a few others while married to Kelly. He ought to kill him just for that.

"I don't know, Boss. How do you explain the women you were with while still married to Shannon?" Tim countered. He knew he was probably risking his already life, which was already in great peril and he didn't mean from drug dealers, but he wasn't going to be accused of betraying Kelly like that. If anything, she betrayed him.

Gibbs got even closer to Tim, so close that their faces were almost touching. He couldn't believe the kid even had the nerve to go there. "What did you just say?"

Every instinct in Tim's body told him to run away as fast as he possibly could, but again he knew he couldn't. He had to stand strong, no matter how hard it was. "I don't mean any disrespect, Boss, but you were with other women too. What makes you so much different than me?"

"You should tread very lightly here. I already wanna kill you. And what makes me so much different is that I thought my wife was dead!" Gibbs said angrily.

"I get that. You thought your wife was gone and she wasn't coming back. I thought the same thing about my wife. True, I didn't believe her dead, but I was still left with the impression that I would never see her again. And I was left with that impression because she that's what she told me in the letter she left me. She said she wasn't coming back and that I should move on. So after nearly a year of being without my wife, I tried to move on. It didn't work," Tim said. No matter how hard he tried to get over Kelly, nothing worked. He'd come to the conclusion that he was and always would be the one. Nobody could compare. "Kelly's the best thing that ever happened to me. She's the first person who ever saw me for who I was and accepted it. Do you understand what that's like?"

"Yeah," Gibbs said quietly. He knew exactly what it was like because he felt the same way about Shannon. But that didn't mean he was remotely okay with this. Kelly was his baby girl. In his head, she was still that little girl liked to play dress up and dance around the living room. He couldn't see her as anything else.

Gibbs backed up a little and looked away. He had to admit that the kid had a point. The situations weren't all that different. They'd both assumed that their wives were gone. Still, he didn't like this. He didn't like the fact that his daughter was married to anybody.

When Gibbs didn't say anything, Tim decided to press his luck and keep talking. "You and I aren't that different, Gibbs. We both love our wives and we both lost them for a while. We also both tried to move on and couldn't. No relationship I've ever had has compared to the one I had and hope to have again with Kelly. She's the love of my life."

"Okay, you need to stop before I really do kill you," Gibbs said. He was not going to listen to anybody proclaim their love for his daughter. It didn't matter who it was.

"You're not really angry at me, Boss. You know I haven't done anything wrong. You're angry because to you, it's as if all this happened overnight. You're daughter grew up and became a married woman all in one day for you. If this had all happened for you gradually instead of being sprung on you, you wouldn't be so angry," Tim said. Oh, he had no doubt that there would've been threats and warnings involved if his boss had been there when they first met, but it was the fact that he didn't really know Kelly as an adult that made this so hard. He still saw her as a child.

"You telling me how I feel now, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"You saying I'm wrong?" Tim asked. His fear was dwindling quite a bit. He could see that he was getting to Gibbs.

"If you're waiting for me to tell you I'm happy about this, you can keep dreaming," Gibbs told him.

"I don't expect that. No dad likes the idea of his daughter with a guy. My father nearly skinned all of Sarah's dates alive," Tim said with a smirk. He then got serious again. "But come on. Do you really think I'd hurt your daughter.

Gibbs looked away again. When he thought about it, he knew McGee was right. He really wouldn't hurt Kelly. He was too good of a man for that. In certain ways it annoyed him. A part of him would've preferred him to be the bad guy. He could hate him that way. He couldn't hate Tim McGee. The kid was as decent as they came. If he allowed himself to think about it, he knew he'd come to the conclusion that Tim was exactly the type of guy he'd want his daughter with.

"He's right," Kelly said as she and Shannon came back into the room. "If anybody hurt anybody, I hurt him."

Tim sighed. He wished he could deny that, but he couldn't. She did hurt him. Walking away from him the way she did was the worst thing that she could've done. But he loved her and he would find a way to forgive her.

Gibbs once again approached Tim. "If you hurt my daughter even once, I will skin you alive."

"Understood," Tim said.

Gibbs nodded. He still hated this. The idea of his daughter being with a man made him want to shoot every other man on the planet. But he supposed it could be worst. It could be DiNozzo.


	10. Chapter 10

"So let me get this straight," Vance said as the entire MCRT, minus Gibbs and McGee, stood in front of him. "You all think that Gibbs dead wife and daughter, who is married to McGee, are actually alive and that the four of them are now on the run from the Reynosa Cartel."

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty ridiculous," Tony said.

"Does it, DiNozzo? I can't even think of anything more farfetched," Vance said. He was really considering the idea that every single person in front of him had gone insane and he was wondering if maybe he should start calling shrinks.

"Director, before you prepare to send us all to separate mental institutions, just listen. We have proof to support it," Ducky said. "Now when we viewed the surveillance footage from the hospital, I recognized one of the women seen escorting Timothy out as Jethro's late wife."

"With all due respect, Doctor, isn't it possible that you didn't see what you think you saw? It is possible for two people to look similar," Vance said.

"It's not just that, Director. We also found out that one of the dead guys found at Gibbs' house was a part of the Reynosa Cartel," Abby said.

That did cause Vance to pause. That was a hell of a coincidence. Still, he wasn't ready to believe that people were coming back from the dead.

"Also, McGee is married to a woman named Kelly. That combined with everything else makes sense in a strange way. McGee was probably shot in an attempt to get to Kelly. Same with Gibbs' accident. It all fits. Gibbs and McGee were attacked by the Reynosa Cartel to get to their respective wives," Ziva explained.

"Okay, say for a minute that this insanity is plausible. How did they survive and where the hell are Gibbs and McGee?" Vance asked.

"Can't answer the first question, sir, but we think that Gibbs and McGee followed their wives on the run," Tony said.

"DiNozzo, that makes even less sense than dead people returning. Gibbs doesn't run," Vance said. For as long as he'd known him, Gibbs had always been a fighter. He was a marine for God's sake. He wouldn't run from his problems.

"Before today, I would've agreed with you, Director, but circumstances have changed. Jethro never truly recovered from the loss of his wife and daughter. Now they're back and I don't believe there's anything he wouldn't do to make sure they are safe, and that includes going against his very nature," Ducky said.

Vance had to admit that made sense. If it were his wife and children, he'd probably do the same thing. He wasn't the type to run either, but if it meant protecting his family, he would, especially if he'd been without them for so long. "Okay, whether this is true or not, we still need to find them."

"I'm afraid that may be easier said than done. These two women have had over two decades to perfect the art of hiding. It would appear that until now, they haven't come even close to being found. Add that to the skills of Jethro and Timothy, I don't think they will be easy to find," Ducky said.

"Well, we have to try. They need to be found. They can't spend the rest of their lives running. Find them," Vance ordered.

Tony and Ziva nodded and the way out of the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs leaned over the balcony of their safe house. He couldn't believe everything that happened. In less than twenty-four hours, he'd discovered that his wife and daughter were alive and that his daughter was married to his agent. Not to mention that they were all now on the run from drug runners. It was all just a little much to deal with.

Gibbs soon heard someone join him, followed by Shannon's voice. "You shouldn't be out here. It's not safe."

"I needed some air," Gibbs said without turning around.

Shannon sighed. "Okay, give it to me, Jethro. I know you're angry and you have a lot to get off your chest. Go ahead. I deserve it."

Gibbs finally turned to face her. "I don't know what I am right now, Shannon. I should be angry, but something won't let me. There's this voice inside me that keeps telling me that this is what I wanted. This is what I've always prayed for. For you and Kelly to be alive and for us to be a family again. It didn't exactly happen the way I imagined it though."

"I know. This certainly wasn't my ideal life," Shannon said.

"You should've told me. I would've come with you," Gibbs said.

"No, you wouldn't have. You weren't as conditioned by loss back then as you are now. You would've wanted to find another way. You would've convinced me to stay and fight. And if we had done that, we might all be dead," Shannon said.

"I felt like I was dead. Do you understand that? Thinking you and our daughter were dead was as close to hell as a person can get. But you're right. Back then, I probably would've tried to find another way. Going with you last night went against everything I believe in," Gibbs said. As much as he wanted to believe he would've left with his family twenty years ago, he knew he was likely kidding himself. He wasn't a runner, not until now anyway. Now things were different. He'd known what it was like to lose his family and he wasn't willing to relive that. That was why he'd agreed to go.

"I know it does and I'm sorry," Shannon said. She never wanted this. She never wanted her husband to have to give up his entire life for her. It was bad enough that she and Kelly had to do it.

"Don't be. I meant what I said last night. There is nowhere I'd rather be. But I also meant what I said when I told you I'm going to find another way. This is only temporary," Gibbs said. He was going to find a way for them all to go home if it was the last thing he did.

"Well, I hope you do, but I'm not going to hold my breath. These people are not like the guys you go after every day. But either way, I have everything I want know. I just hope in time you can forgive me for hurting you way I have," Shannon said.

"Like I said, I know I should be angry, but I'm not. I'm pretty overwhelmed and I'll even admit to being hurt at you not telling me, but I'm not angry. I'm too happy to have you back to be angry," Gibbs said. Under normal circumstances he would be angry, just as he was sure McGee was angry, but after believing his family was dead for twenty years, he just couldn't bring himself to be angry.

Shannon nodded in understanding. "We should get inside. There's no telling how safe we are out here."

Gibbs nodded and immediately followed his wife back inside.


	11. Chapter 11

Vance stood in the observation room watching as a nervous Joanne Fielding in Interrogation. She was their only lead to the Gibbs family and McGee. They had done some research and found that the woman had withdrawn large amounts of cash that were transferred to an offshore account since the year Shannon and Kelly Gibbs were declared dead. And as Gibbs liked to say, there was no such thing as a coincidence.

Just then, the door opened, revealing Tony. "We're about to go in, Director."

"No, you're not. I'm taking this one," Vance said. This hit him close to home. He had a family and if anyone had allowed him to believe they were dead when it wasn't true, he would find himself hard pressed not to strangle the person.

"Oh, okay. You want me to come too," Tony asked.

"No," Vance said simply before taking a file Tony was carrying and leaving the room. He went straight into the interrogation room.

"Why am I here? Where's Jethro?" Joanne asked. She could only assume that this was her son-in-law's doing. Why else would his agents bring her in?

Vance sat down in front of her. "You tell me."

"What?" Joanne asked in confusion.

"Gibbs is missing. Has been for a couple of days now. We need your help finding him," Vance said.

"How would I know where he is? We don't exactly keep in touch," Joanne said. The last time she'd seen Jethro was when she confessed to killing her fiancé as revenger for her daughter and granddaughter's 'deaths'.

"I don't know. Maybe by telling me where your daughter is," Vance said.

Joanne immediately stiffened. "Is that supposed to be some kind of sick joke? My daughter is dead."

"Really?" Vance asked before taking a photo from the folder he hand and sliding it over to her. It was a picture of Shannon coming out of McGee's hospital room with McGee and Kelly. "So this isn't your daughter? The girl with her isn't your granddaughter?"

Joanne looked away and didn't say a word.

"The young man with her is Special Agent Timothy McGee. He was recently shot, presumably due to whatever danger is following your daughter and granddaughter around. Now he's missing too. Where are they, Miss Fielding?" Vance asked with authority.

Joanne continued to remain silent.

"We went through your finances. You've withdrawn large amounts of money on several occasions starting not long after your daughter was presumed dead. I know you knew they were alive. Tell me, what kind of person watches while a man grieves for his wife and only child? Gibbs risked his career for you. He intentionally sabotaged a murder investigation so you would go free. And still you couldn't find it in you to tell him that his family was alive. Who the hell are you?" Vance asked tightly. He didn't always get on with Gibbs, but he didn't deserve this. No one did. This was by far the most heartless thing he'd ever seen.

Joanne finally met his eyes. "Who am I? I am a mother who was unwilling to attend the funeral of her only child for real."

"Yet you had no problem allowing a father attend that same funeral," Vance said.

"He would've attended that funeral one way or another. At least this way, they got to live," Joanne said.

"And the ends justify the means. You could've told him the truth afterwards. You could've told him they were alive when they were safely away," Vance said.

"No, I couldn't. He would've gone after them and he would've convinced Shannon to come home. And then they'd all be dead. Jethro would've been their undoing, just as he nearly was before," Joanne said. She'd always blamed Jethro for the 'deaths' of her girls. While he hadn't had anything to do with the Cartel, he should've been there to protect them.

"So that's what this is really about. You blamed Gibbs for the Reynosa Cartel and you let him think his family was dead to get payback," Vance said.

"Don't be ridiculous. Jethro should've been there to protect them, but that has nothing to do with this. I did what I needed to do to protect my family. The family he took away from me. Jethro would've forced them back if he knew and they would've been killed," Joanne said surely.

"Except he now does know and he didn't do that. But I will. There is a way to protect them without forcing them to live their lives on the run and I intend to find it. Now where are they?" Vance demanded to know.

"I don't know. I've never known. The money I sent them was always placed into an off shore account and taken out by a mutual friend. I haven't had contact with my girls since just after the accident," Joanne explained.

Vance stared at her for a minute. He found that he did believe her. Not because she was trustworthy or anything, but because from what he knew of Shannon Gibbs so far, she seemed the type to be smart. She wouldn't keep in contact anyone from her old life if she could avoid it. "Who's this mutual friend?"

Joanne stared at him. "I'm afraid I'm getting a little forgetful in my old age. I can't seem to remember."

Just then the door was opened by Tony. "Director?"

"In a minute, DiNozzo," Vance said without even turning to him.

"It's important, sir," Tony said.

Vance glared at Joanne for a minute and then followed DiNozzo out of the room. "This better be good."

"Oh, it is. We dug a little deeper into Miss Fielding's financials. About a month before the accident, Joanne Fielding wired money to an ex-sergeant in the Army named Nickolas Baker. Now I'm only guessing her, but I'm thinking he might have something to do with The Gibbs women being able to fake their deaths and disappear for twenty years," Tony said. It made sense. It was unlikely that two women could hide for so long on their own.

"Fine him," Vance ordered.

"Already on it, but Director, you know Gibbs. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be," Tony said.

"Just find Baker," Vance said before walking away.


	12. Chapter 12

Gibbs sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. He was the first one up. Actually he hadn't slept much at all. It was hard. He kept thinking that if he slept, somehow his family would be taken away from him again. That this was all a dream and that when he woke up, it would all disappear.

Shannon soon came out and joined her husband. "Hey. You're up early. How long have you been up?"

"This is my second up," Gibbs said in way of an answer.

"So a while then," Shannon said.

"Couldn't sleep," Gibbs said before taking a sip of his coffee.

Shannon sighed. "Yeah, this life is hard to adjust to. Unfortunately, you'll get used to it."

Gibbs decided not to correct his wife's assumption for his insomnia. It was better that she didn't know. She would just feel guilty and he didn't want that. "You have trouble sleeping at first?"

"Oh, yeah. Though I was having trouble even before the 'accident'," Shannon said. She'd had trouble with sleeping when she learned her life was in danger until many months after she was presumed dead.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "You never told me that."

"What was I supposed to say, Jethro? You were fighting for your own life. You had to have a clear mind. That wouldn't have happened if you were worrying about me and how I was handling my own problems," Shannon said.

"Your problems are mine," Gibbs said. They were married. They were supposed to share their problems with each other and figure out how to get through them together.

"And yours mine. I wanted to make sure you got home in one piece. Anyway, it doesn't matter. That was a long time ago. Things have changed," Shannon said.

Gibbs snorted and took a sip of his coffee. "Yeah, you can say that again. My wife now spends her time shooting at drug dealers to protect our family, my daughter is all grown up and married to one of my agents, and the four of us are on the run together. Yeah, I'd say things have definitely changed.

Shannon laughed. "Yeah, sounds like something straight out of the movies, huh?

Gibbs snorted again and thought of Tony. If there was a movie like this, Tony would have a field day comparing it.

Just then, Kelly and Tim came out.

"You're up early. Unless we're on the move, I usually can't get you up before noon," Shannon said.

"Yeah, well, someone has been tossing and turning all night and keeping me up," Kelly said as she glared at her husband.

"You try getting shot and then come talk to me," Tim said as he sat down.

"Uh, uh, you don't get that excuse. I told you to take the meds I got you like five times," Kelly said.

"I'm trying to keep my mind clear. We are in danger after all," Tim said. He wanted to be fully there to help in case the enemy found them. He wouldn't be if the pain meds clouded his mind.

"He's got a point, sweetie," Shannon said. As much as she wanted the boy she considered to be her son pain free, she also saw the need to make sure he stayed sharp so that he could stay alive.

"No, he doesn't. I'm here now and the two of you don't seem to be shy around guns. We'll be fine. Take the damn pills, McGee," Gibbs ordered.

"Boss, really, I'm…"

"McGee!" Gibbs growled.

"Yes, Boss," Tim said before getting up and disappearing back into the bedroom and Kelly were using.

Kelly watched her husband leave and then looked at her father in disbelief. "That's all it took? Really? I have been telling him that all freaking night!"

Gibbs just smirked in response.

"Your father has a way with people, honey," Shannon said.

Tim came back out seconds later. "Okay, I took one. This way I can get some pain relief without completely passing out."

"So what now?" Gibbs asked. He wasn't used to being the one to ask that question, but he and Tim were new to this. They needed to take things from the experts, meaning Shannon and Kelly.

"Well, we're going to need to move as soon as possible. This is just a safe house for us to regroup for a couple of days. We need to get on the move again quickly," Shannon said.

"Should we split up so it's harder for them to find us?" Kelly asked.

"No way in hell!" Gibbs said firmly. He just got his family back. He was not going to be separated from either of them anymore.

"No, I don't mean it like that, Dad. I just meant maybe we should leave here separately. Maybe take different routes to where we're going," Kelly explained.

"That's not a bad idea. No, just listen for a minute, Jethro," Shannon said when her husband tried to object. "We've got people looking for us everywhere, probably even your people too. And every one of them is looking for a family of four. So we shake things up a bit. We leave separately. It'll be harder for them to figure out where we're going if they manage to pick up some kind of trail."

"I don't like it," Gibbs said. He didn't want them to be separated for even an hour.

"It's the best way, Dad," Kelly said.

"We only have one car," Tim pointed out.

"Yeah, we do. There's a car in the garage and it's untraceable. There's always spare vehicles in various safe houses in case something goes wrong," Shannon told them.

"How do you afford all this? Call me crazy, but living life on the run and staying safe seems pretty expensive," Tim said.

"Oh, it is. My mother had an account set up for us. Actually, Nick is the one who accesses it. That way it can't be traced back to us. When we need it, I call him and he takes out the necessary funds," Shannon explained.

"Wow. You're good. I can't believe I never knew all this," Tim said.

"And you're sure you can trust this guy?" Gibbs asked. He couldn't help it. Distrust was in his nature, especially when it came to keeping the people he loved safe.

"Positive. He's saved our asses more times than I can count. He'll make sure we stay safe if it's in his power," Shannon said.

"When do we leave," Tim asked.

"We should go tonight. I prefer leaving at night. It's harder to be seen by anyone. Timothy, you should get some more sleep now. You look dead on your feet."

"No, I'm fine," Tim said.

Gibbs glared at his agent. "Do I gotta say it, McGee?"

Tim sighed. "No, Boss," he said before getting up and heading back for his bedroom.


	13. Chapter 13

Later that night, Gibbs, Shannon, Kelly, and Tim were all getting ready to leave for their next hideout. "Okay, are we ready?"

"Yeah, I think so," Kelly said.

Gibbs and Tim both nodded.

"Okay, you guys take the long way. With Kelly's driving, you'll probably beat us," Shannon half joked.

"Try to get there in one piece, would you?" Gibbs asked.

"Hey, no one's gonna get the drop on me," Kelly said.

"I think he meant your driving, Kel," Tim said.

"I am not that bad," Kelly said.

"Yes, you are," Tim and Gibbs both said at the same times.

"Just be careful. Both of you," Shannon said before hugging her daughter. She then did the same with Tim.

Gibbs watched his wife embrace his agent. It was very clear to him that they were close. Shannon seemed to care about and worry over him just as she did their daughter. It was strange. For years, Gibbs considered McGee a son, but he never knew just how close to the mark he really was.

Shannon finally made it back over to her husband. "Okay, let's head out."

"Keep her safe, McGee. If there's even a hair out of place on her head, your ass is mine!" Gibbs warned.

"Oh, Boss, you shouldn't have said that," Tim said. He knew his wife well. She didn't take kindly to that whole 'protect the little woman' thing. She was a very strong, independent woman and she insisted on being treated that way.

Sure enough, Kelly glared at her father. "What is this, the fifties? 'Keep her safe.' I'll keep him safe."

"Not a woman thing. It's a father thing. You may think you're grown up, but I will always want you protected," Gibbs said firmly.

Kelly opened her mouth to argue, but was immediately cut off by her mother.

"How about your keep each other safe? That would make me happy," Shannon said trying to put a stop to it. Kelly got her stubbornness from her father. They could both stand there for hours arguing about this whole thing if she let them.

"Come on, we should go," Tim said before leading his wife to the driver's side.

"I can get my own door!" Kelly snapped when he went to help her.

"Thanks for that, Boss," Tim said before going to the passenger side.

"Stay safe!" Shannon told them once more before going to her own car.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

About twenty minutes into the drive, Shannon looked at her husband. She noticed the look of contemplation on his face. "What are you thinking about?"

"What makes you think I'm thinking about anything?" Gibbs asked.

"Years of marriage. You always get this look on your face when you're thinking about something. That hasn't changed. You haven't changed," Shannon said.

"Can't say the same about you," Gibbs said as he glanced at the gun sitting next to her.

"I had to change. It was necessary to stay alive," Shannon said.

"I know. I just wish it wasn't," Gibbs said.

"So do I. So what were you thinking?" Shannon asked.

"About McGee. I saw how you were with him earlier. You're close to him." It wasn't a question.

"He's my son. It doesn't matter that he's not blood. I love him just as much as I love Kelly. It killed me to leave him behind probably more than it killed her. But I did it for the same reason she did. I wanted him to have a better life," Shannon said.

"It's amazing. I've seen him that way too. I see all my people that way. But if you tell him that, I'll deny it," Gibbs said.

Shannon laughed. "Yeah, God forbid he find out you care about him."

"Hey, he works for me. I gotta stay professional," Gibbs said.

Shannon gave him a sad look. "No, Jethro. He worked for you. Past tense. I know you want to believe that there will be a way for us to somehow go back, but eventually you'll have to accept that this is what life is now. Timothy isn't your agent anymore and he never will be again. He's your family now and that's one thing that will never change."

Gibbs took in what she said for a minute before looking out the window and going back to his thoughts.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Tim hung onto the handle of the car door like his life depended on it. And for all he knew, it did. "Kelly, can you slow down a little?"

"Nope," Kelly said.

"Why not?" Tim asked.

"Because the guy following us would be suspicious," Kelly said nonchalantly.

"Oh, of course. I didn't think… wait, what?!" Tim exclaimed when Kelly's words finally registered.

"Yeah, didn't you see the SUV behind us?" Kelly asked.

"I was busy fearing for my life. How long have they been following us?" Tim asked.

"I don't know. Ten fifteen minutes," Kelly said as though it was nothing.

"Why aren't you more worried about this? We're being followed by the enemy," Tim said.

"He's not gonna try anything. He wants us to lead him to the new place so he can kill us all at once," Kelly said.

"Right because that's not something to worry about," Tim said dryly.

"It's not because he's not going to get the chance," Kelly said as she pulled off the highway. She found herself on a road surrounded by nothing but trees. There were no other cars on the road other than the one following them. And that was exactly how Kelly wanted it. "Brace yourself, honey."

"Why?" Tim asked warily.

Instead of answering, Kelly floored the gas pedal and sped up to about a hundred.

"Oh my God!" Tim yelled before putting both hands on the car door handle. "Are you trying to kill us?!

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm about to run this SOB off the road," Kelly said with an evil smile on her face.

"How do you figure? He's behind us. He'd run us of the road first. Although, I'm not sure you need much help with that," Tim said.

Soon Kelly began to swerve all over the road, switching from one lane to the next over and over again.

"Oh, God, now what are you doing. Oh, geez, there's a pole up ahead!" Tim yelled.

"I know," Kelly said before heading right for it as fast as she could.

Tim closed his eyes in preparation for what was to com.

Mere seconds before hitting the pole, Kelly swerved away from it. The car behind her wasn't so lucky and it smashed right into it, causing it to immediately go off the road.

Tim finally opened his eyes only to see that his wife was smirking at him.

"Now that's how you run someone off the road when they're behind you."


	14. Chapter 14

Tim followed Kelly into a small motel room and closed the door behind him. "What are we doing here? I may be new to this running thing, but shouldn't we get as far away from the people who closed in on us as possible?" Tim asked.

"Give me your pack," Kelly said.

"Why?" Tim asked as he took his bag off his good shoulder and handed it to his wife.

Kelly immediately opened it. "Because there is no way we were followed from DC to Tennessee. Not with my driving. We were tracked."

"Tracked how?" Tim asked.

"I don't know, but it must be from you. They followed us which means it was you or me and no one ever gets close enough to put a tracking device on me. You on the other hand were in the hospital where anyone could've slipped something on you or with your stuff," Kelly said as she continued to search.

"But why? I didn't even know I would be with you then, so how could they?" Tim asked.

"Because they know by now how we think. They knew Mom and I would do what we had to protect you guys. That's why they attacked in the first place. They probably figured that if they missed the opportunity to kill us in DC, they could at least track us and come up with a plan of attack. "This is empty. Give me your jacket," Kelly said.

Tim took his jacket off carefully, as not to aggravate his wounded shoulder and handed it to Kelly. "You know, I wasn't around a lot of people. I had guards watching me twenty-four/seven."

"But that was just to keep you from being attacked. They wouldn't have batted an eyelash to a nurse or an orderly simply placing something the size of a peanut somewhere," Kelly said as she checked her husband's jacket. "It's not here either. Damn, where could they have put it?"

Tim looked down at the sling around his arm. There was a small Velcro wrapping around she shoulder part where a small tracking device could fit without being noticed. He immediately reached to start taking it off. "Give me a hand."

"You think?" Kelly asked she went to help him get it off.

"Ow. Careful," Tim said as they slowly got his arm out of the thing.

Once the sling was off, Kelly undid the Velcro strap and a small device fell out. "And we have a winner," she said before stepping on it with her foot.

Tim sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Not being a mind reader? You couldn't have known it was there," Kelly said.

"I'm a federal agent. I should've anticipated that something like this might happen," Tim said. Gibbs was always telling them to anticipate. He hadn't anticipated this though. He hadn't even considered it.

"Don't make me smack you," Kelly said before taking out her phone and dialing her mother's number. She then put it on speed dial so that Tim could hear too.

Shannon's voice could be heard after the second ring. _"What happened?"_

"We're okay. A couple of idiots were following us, but I managed to lose them," Kelly said.

"And nearly killed us in the process," Tim muttered.

"_Damn it. How did they find you?"_ Shannon asked.

"They had a tracking device in Tim's sling. They must have put it on him in the hospital.

Gibbs voice suddenly came through, letting them know that they were on speaker phone as well. _"And the two idiots I had on him didn't notice? Of all the stupid, moronic…"_

"Boss, it's my fault. I should've checked once we… Ow!" Tim exclaimed after feeling a sharp slap to the back of his head.

"_What was that?" _Shannon asked.

"I may have smacked him upside the head," Kelly said.

"_Good job," _Gibbs said approvingly.

"Damn, I think that hurt more than yours, Boss," Tim said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"_We can always test that theory when we get to where we're going," _he offered.

"Uh, no, I'm good, Boss," Tim said quickly.

"_Good. Then stop saying stupid things! It's not your fault," _Gibbs said firmly.

"_He's right. It's mine. I should've checked at least when we got to the safe house," _Shannon said.

"_No, the only ones at fault are the idiots who were assigned to protect him," _Gibbs said.

"_Okay, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that the two of you are okay and the tracking device is gone," _Shannon said.

"It is and we are," Kelly assured her mother.

"_What about the jackasses who tailed you. You sure you lost them?" _Gibbs asked.

Kelly smirked. "Oh yeah."

"She nearly ran them off the road by nearly driving into a pole!" Tim said. He still couldn't believe how close they came. He had been sure she was going to hit that pole and they would all end up dead.

"_What?!" _Gibbs exclaimed.

"We're fine, Dad. We missed the pole, they didn't," Kelly said with a cocky smile.

"_Honey, I'm very glad that you managed to come out of it okay and that you lost the tail but could you try to avoid stunts like that for a while?"_ Shannon asked.

"_How about indefinitely?" _Gibbs added.

Kelly chuckled. "I'll do my best, but I'm not making any promises. Anyway, we're going to leave soon. We'll loop around and go a little out of our way to avoid any possible situations, so we probably won't make it until well after you guys do."

"_Okay. Stay safe," _Shannon said.

"_And avoid poles," _Gibbs said.

Kelly laughed. "Like I said, I'll do my best. Bye," she said before hanging up. "Alright, we should get out of her. They might have our current location, so the sooner we leave, the better. Let's hit the road."

Tim groaned as he followed her out. All he could think was that with his wife's driving, they might just literally hit the road. Or at least a bunch of very dangerous objects on the road.


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning, Tony was at his computer working to find the man responsible for hiding his colleagues and their wives. He was right now trying to track using the offshore account Joanne Fielding had set up. Unfortunately, this was something McGee usually handled. Tony was practically inept at it.

"Tony!"

Tony looked up to see Abby heading towards him. "Oh, hey, Abs."

"Did you find them yet? Did you find Gibbs and McGee?" Abby asked.

"No, Ziva's heading up the actual search of Gibbs and McGee. I'm trying to find the guy who's hiding them," Tony said.

"Any news?" Abby asked.

"None whatsoever. I'm trying to track Baker using this damn thing," Tony said as he glared at his computer.

"But you're no McGee," Abby said with a knowing smile. Then she got serious again. "Where could they have gone? And why won't they call us?"

"Because calling us would run the risk of the wrong people finding out," Tony answered.

"But we can protect them. If they'd just come back, we can find a way to keep them safe. We've done it before," Abby said.

"This is different. Last night, after the director left, I read up on the Reynosa Cartel. They're more dangerous than we thought. They are everywhere and they always get their mark. Gibbs' wife and daughter are the first to get away. They're more dangerous than any threat we've faced before, and that includes Ari and Dearing," Tony said.

"What are you saying?" Abby asked.

Just then, Ziva came into the room.

"Ziva! Did you find anything about McGee and Gibbs."

"No. I just got word that their bank accounts haven't been touched," Ziva said before sitting down at her desk.

"I didn't really expect them to be," Tony said. Neither agent was stupid enough to do that. Besides, they didn't need to, not with that account Shannon's mother set up.

"I also spoke with McGee's sister. She has not heard from him. What about you? Did you find Baker?" Ziva asked.

"No. I spoke with a few of his buddies from the army, but they haven't heard from him. I'm trying to track him using the off shore account, but I can't seem to figure out how," Tony said.

"So what now then? We have to find McGee and Gibbs," Abby said.

Ziva glanced at Tony. "You have not told her?"

"I was getting there when you showed up," Tony said. Honestly, he didn't really want to tell her. He knew Abby wouldn't like it. Hell, he didn't like it either, but he was forced to accept it.

"Tell me what? Did you find something?" Abby asked.

"No. That's the whole thing, Abby. We haven't found anything and we're not gonna," Tony said. He and Ziva had discussed it at lengths when they were sure that Vance wouldn't overhear them. They weren't going to find Gibbs, McGee, or their wives. Not unless the time came where he wanted them to. He'd tried to tell the director that, but he didn't want to hear it.

"What are you talking about? You can't give up. If you can't figure out how to find this Baker guy, I'll help you, or Cybercrimes can help," Abby said.

"That's not what I mean, Abs. Even if we find Baker, he's not going to tell us where they are. Think about it, he's been hiding Shannon and Kelly for years, and he's done a pretty thorough job at it. His whole life is about protecting them. He's not going to give them up now," Tony said.

"If that's what you think then why are you looking for him?" Abby asked.

"To appease the director. He wants us to look, so we'll look," Tony said.

"So you just wanna give up? We're a team. We can't just leave Gibbs and McGee out to dry," Abby said. She couldn't believe she was hearing this. She thought Tony of all people would be with her on this. Gibbs was like a father to him.

"We are not doing that, Abby. We want to find them just as badly as you do. We just do not believe we will," Ziva said.

"Gibbs doesn't want to be found, Abby, and if he doesn't want to be found, he won't be," Tony said.

"You don't know that. Maybe they're just waiting for us to find them," Abby said. She knew she was grasping at straws and that her theory didn't really make sense, but she had to come up with something.

"Abby, they ditched their phones," Tony reminded her.

"So?"

"So, they're getting rid of any way there is to track them. They're disappearing," Tony said. That had actually been his first sign that their colleagues were lost to them. He just hadn't been willing to admit it to himself.

"Or maybe they're just laying low until it's safe," Abby said.

Tony sighed in frustration. "Abby, didn't you hear what I said about the Reynosa's? It's never going to be safe."

Abby shook her head. "If we all work together and…"

"Abby!" Tony exclaimed. "They're gone. They ran to protect their family and themselves and they're not coming back."

"How can you say that?" Abby said on the verge of tears.

"Because it is the truth. I know you do not want to hear this, Abby. We do not want to say it, but it's true. We all know Gibbs. If he does not want to be found, he will not be. And I think we all know that he does not want to be found," Ziva said.

"So we just give up?" Abby asked angrily.

"We're still looking, Abby," Tony said.

"But only because you're being ordered to. That's just as bad as giving up," Abby said.

"We're just trying to be realistic. We know Gibbs and we know how good he is at disappearing. And now he and McGee are with two people who made a career out of it. We're just trying to face the facts and we think you should too," Tony said.

"No. I don't care what you say, they're coming back. If you won't find them, I will," Abby said before walking away.


	16. Chapter 16

Gibbs followed Shannon into their new house in Colorado. The house was already fully furnished and livable. It had obviously been set up for them beforehand.

"Welcome home, Jethro. At least for the moment," Shannon said. No place was really home for long. Eventually they would have to leave it again for newer and safer pastures.

"This place is already inhabitable. Your man sure does work fast," Gibbs commented.

"Our new places are already set up ahead of time. This was set up when we were at our last one. And it's always set up under an assumed name so that no one is the wiser," Shannon explained.

Gibbs nodded. "So how long do you think we'll be here?"

"As long as it's safe. It could be weeks or months. It really depends," Shannon said as she led the way through the house to the master bedroom. She then put her bag on the bed and opened it.

Gibbs leaned over her shoulder and watched as she took out a framed photo of Tim and Kelly. Tim was dressed in a white tux and Kelly had on a long, white string strapped dress. Is that of their wedding?"

Shannon smiled. "Yeah. I don't keep many pictures for safety reasons, but I was going to have one of my daughter's wedding. It wasn't a big thing. It was just a Justice of the Piece kind of deal. We can't have a big To Do for obvious reasons. Luckily Timothy wasn't interested in anything fancy either."

"Did you have a problem with their getting married?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course not. Timothy's an amazing young man and he and Kelly loved each other like crazy. I knew he'd treat her well," Shannon said.

"That's not what I meant. I mean because of the lifestyle. You guys left him behind, so you had to have some problem with it," Gibbs said. It wasn't an accusation or anything. He was just curious as to why they brought McGee in just to have to walk away.

Shannon sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. Gibbs joined her. "Things were different then. I mean, we always walked on the side of caution. I always made sure Kelly was prepared if things got bad. But for a while, things were quiet, presumably because the Reynosa Cartel thought we were dead. That changed about a year into Kelly's and Timothy's wedding. Nick called and said that they were on to us."

"So you left," Gibbs said. It wasn't a question.

Shannon nodded. "Yeah. It killed me to do it. Leaving Timothy behind was the hardest thing I've ever done. It was harder leaving you."

Gibbs wasn't surprised to hear that. Shannon had made it very clear that she loved McGee. She even called him her son. And leaving a child behind was much harder than leaving a husband.

"And I know how much Timothy resents it. More so with Kelly, but he resents it from me too. The only thing that's keeping him from lashing out is that he hasn't had the time. Things have been hectic since we left DC. But once he gets here and things die down, he will lash out, and he'll have a right to," Shannon said. She didn't look forward to that, but she knew it was nothing worse than she deserved. Actually, she was surprised Jethro wasn't doing the same.

"McGee will understand," Gibbs said. At least he'd better understand. Gibbs could understand anger, but he would not stand by and let the younger man lash out at his family.

"I know what you're thinking, Jethro. Don't. Timothy has every right to be angry," Shannon said.

"You were protecting him and yourselves," Gibbs said.

"Maybe, but all he sees right now is two more people who abandoned him," Shannon said.

"What are you talking about?" Gibbs asked in confusion. This was the first he was hearing of anyone abandoning McGee.

"How much do you know about Timothy's family and his relationship with his parents?" Shannon asked.

"Well, I know it's been a while since he spoke to his father," Gibbs told her. The only reason he even knew that was because of the case involving the agent's grandmother. Before that, he always thought McGee had a good relationship with his family. He should've known better though. Everyone on his team seemed to have jackass fathers.

"Yeah, well, there's a reason for that. Timothy's father wanted him to join the Navy. He didn't want to," Shannon said.

"McGee joining the Navy would not have been a good idea. He gets sea sick the second he gets on the boat," Gibbs said.

"Well, that didn't seem to matter to his father. He'd been trying to groom Timothy for the Navy since he was a child. And being a Navy cop just wasn't good enough. The Admiral saw that as a disgrace to both the Navy and him personally. So he pretty much gave him an ultimatum. Join the Navy or be virtually disowned. Timothy made his choice," Shannon said.

"Good for him," Gibbs said proudly. He was proud of McGee for not letting his father dictate his life.

"His mother wasn't much better. I think she loves Timothy, but she won't support him against her husband. You know, I've never understood women like that. I love you, Jethro, but it would be a cold day in hell before I chose you over our daughter," Shannon said.

"If you ever did, you wouldn't be the woman I fell in love with. I never knew any of this about McGee. He doesn't talk about his family," Gibbs said. That was why he thought the kid had good relations with his parents. The others were quite vocal about their issues with their parents. Tim wasn't. Gibbs just assumed that meant they were close.

"Well, we know a side to him you don't. You will soon enough. Anyway, I'm sure you can see now why Timothy will be upset with us," Shannon said.

"You're not like the McGee's, Shannon," Gibbs said. The McGee's hand abandoned their son because they didn't like his choices. Shannon left because she wanted to keep him safe.

"I still left him. That's all he's got to be able to see right now. No matter what the reason, I'm going to have to answer for it, so will Kelly. And you are going to have to let us," Gibbs said.

"Not sure I can do that," Gibbs said. It was in his nature to protect his family. He doubted he could just sit back and let McGee lash out at them.

"You're going to have to. But you don't have to right now. We should unpack and then get some sleep. We've been up for nearly twenty hours straight," Shannon said before standing up going back to unpacking her bag.


	17. Chapter 17

Tim and Kelly made it to the house at around noon, about five hours after Shannon and Gibbs. "Well, we made it," Kelly said.

"Miraculously. I think I'll be driving with your mother from now on," Tim said. It would certainly be safer that way. Hell, driving with Ziva was safer. He even felt safer driving with her that one day she'd purposely driven faster than normal just make him uncomfortable.

"Hey, I got us here, didn't I, and without our little 'friends'," Kelly said.

"Yeah, I guess. Where do you think your parents are?" Tim asked as he looked around and saw neither Shannon nor Gibbs.

"Probably sleeping. They were driving almost as long as we were," Kelly said.

Tim nodded. The two of them then stood in an awkward silence for a few moments. This was the first time they'd really been alone without being in grave danger. Well, other than when they were going to sleep anyway. It made things awkward because Tim now had nothing left to distract him from the pain and anger he felt.

Kelly cleared her throat. "Maybe we should talk."

"I'd really rather not," Tim said shortly. He was exhausted and in a fair amount of pain. If they talked now, it was going to be less of a talk and more of a screaming match.

"We're going to have to talk sooner or later," Kelly said.

"Then make it later," Tim said before walking away in search of an empty bedroom.

Kelly knew she should probably let him go, but she hated waiting, especially for a fight. She preferred to just get it over with. So she followed him. She followed him through the living room, down the hall and into the last room on the right. "Tim, please talk to me."

Tim did his best to ignore her as he rummaged through his bag for his pain killers. He took out two and swallowed them.

"Look, I know you're angry," Kelly started.

"You don't know a damn thing!" Tim finally exploded.

Kelly couldn't help but flinch a little. She'd never seen him this angry before. Not that she blamed him.

"Nine years! Nine years I spent without you, wondering what I had done to push you away," Tim fumed. The more he thought about it, the more hurt and angry he became. His wife had left him. She just walked out one day and left him with nothing but a letter.

"No, it wasn't like that," Kelly said.

"But that's how it seemed. What would you think if you were me and I just up and left you without so much as a word?" Tim asked angrily.

"I was trying to protect you," Kelly said. She knew it didn't really make it better, but that's how it was. She didn't leave to hurt Tim. She never wanted that. She just wanted to him to have a better life than she and her mother had had.

"I don't want to be protected!" Tim screamed as he slammed his hand onto the dresser he was standing next to angrily.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Gibbs was just starting to wake up when he heard loud voices in the next room. At first he thought maybe someone had broken in, but then he heard the unmistakable voice of McGee.

That presented another issue though. Kelly and McGee were fighting. McGee was yelling at his daughter and that wasn't something he was willing to put up with.

Shannon grabbed her husband's arm just as he started to get up and put a stop to it. "Don't do it."

"You expect me to just sit here and listen to this?" Gibbs asked. He couldn't do this. It wasn't in his nature. He felt compelled to go in there and protect his daughter.

"Yes, I do because it has nothing to do with you. This is between them. You need to let it happen," Shannon said.

Just then Gibbs heard McGee's voice raise even higher and then a loud bang. He was up with seconds. "Screw that."

Shannon followed her husband out of the room. "Jethro, this is a mistake." Her husband might think this would help the situation, but it would only make it worse.

Gibbs ignored and stormed down the hall to where the yelling had come from. He then barged into the room to find an angry Tim glaring at Kelly. "What the hell's going on in here?"

"Dad, what are you doing? We were in the middle of something," Kelly said.

"Yeah, I heard," Gibbs said before going up to Tim and fixing him with a glare. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Normally, this would be where Tim would back down, but he was angry, and his tiredness and pain was only adding to that, so he was not intimidated by his boss at the moment. "I was having a conversation with wife. One that has nothing to do with you, so back off!"

Gibbs did a double take. He didn't expect such an angry answer from his agent. "Excuse me."

"I think you heard me perfectly, Gibbs. This is not the office. You're not going to pry into my private business and expect me to follow your orders. This is a private conversation," Tim said.

"Jethro, listen to him. Let's just walk away," Shannon said.

Gibbs ignored his wife and focused on the young man in front of him. "If you think I'm just going to stand here and listen to you scream at my daughter, you've got another thing coming! I don't care how pissed you are, you don't have the right to scream at her!"

"I think a 'Dear John' letter and nine years of not knowing what happened to my wife gives me that right!" Tim yelled back. If someone told him he'd be talking to his boss like this a week ago, he would've said they were crazy. Then again, a week ago, he wasn't the man's son-in-law and the man wasn't getting in the middle of a situation between him and his wife.

Shannon finally got in between the two heated men. "Okay, let's stop this now, alright? Look, it's been a rough few days. I think we all just need to calm down.

They were all quiet for a few moments. Then Tim finally spoke. "I'm gonna find another room and get some sleep," he said before grabbing his things and heading out of the room.


	18. Chapter 18

Shannon followed her husband into their bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"I don't wanna hear it," Gibbs said. He knew she had something to say about what just happened and he really didn't want to hear it.

"Well, too bad, you're gonna. You shouldn't have done that. You should've just left well enough alone," Shannon said.

"Well enough? You call our daughter getting screamed at well enough?" Gibbs asked.

"I warned you that this was gonna happen. I told you that he would not just be able to move on like nothing ever happened. I told you he'd be angry and that he'd be very vocal about that anger," Shannon reminded her husband.

"And I told you that I wasn't going to put up with it!" Gibbs retorted.

"It wasn't yours to put up with! It had nothing to do with you!" Shannon said in exasperation.

"If it involves you and Kelly, it has everything to do with me!" Gibbs practically yelled.

"Is that what you would've said if my mother had ever interfered in one of our fights?" Shannon asked.

"That's different," Gibbs said. He wasn't exactly sure how it was different, but he knew it was different.

"No, Jethro, it's exactly the same. Your daughter is a grown woman. A grown _married_ woman," Shannon emphasized. She knew the issue was that Jethro still saw their daughter as a child. She was going to have to make him see otherwise before it damaged their relationship. "You're going to have to accept that. You're also going to have to accept the fact that Timothy and Kelly, they're gonna fight. And sometimes, Kelly's gonna be the guilty party. Like she is now. No matter what the reasons were, Kelly and I are guilty of causing Timothy pain. We have to answer for that."

"I think living on the run and being without your family is punishment enough, don't ya think? It's not like you chose this," Gibbs said. He did understand that McGee was angry, but his family had suffered enough. They didn't need McGee lashing out at them.

"But in a way we did. We didn't choose this life, but we did choose to walk away. That's what we can't get passed. We left him. He's angry about that. The only reason you're not is because you spent so long grieving for us that you're just happy to have us back. You as much as admitted that. Timothy doesn't have that to fall back on. He never thought we were dead so he can't take comfort in us being alive. All he can feel right now is the pain and anger our leaving caused him," Shannon explained.

"He could've found a better way to deal with it than screaming," Gibbs said.

"And if given the space, he probably would've. But your daughter is very head strong and stubborn. Kind of like someone else I know," Shannon said as she gave him a pointed look. "It's very possible that she wanted to get the whole thing over with and pushed him a little too far. He was tired and probably hurting from his arm. With all that plus Kelly pushing him, of course it increased his ire. And then you got involved and made the situation ten times worse. You should've just let the fight play out. You must know he wouldn't have hurt her."

Gibbs sighed. He hated it when she started making sense. Shannon always seemed to get through to him and make him see when he was being an ass. "Yeah, I know that. I just couldn't stand listening to him scream at her."

Shannon snorted. "A good reason people don't generally live with their parents after they've been married."

"So maybe I overreacted. I didn't see Kelly as she is now," Gibbs said. At the time, all he thought about was his little girl, not the woman down the hall, but the child that used to fall asleep in his arms.

"I know what you saw. But you have to stop seeing it. It's not like that anymore. Our daughter is grown. And I don't know if you've noticed, but she can take care of herself," Shannon said in a slightly amused tone.

Gibbs chuckled as he thought about her reaction to what he said right before they left the safe house. "Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I should talk to McGee."

"Yeah, I think you should, but later. He's angry right now and more than a bit tired. Hopefully he's actually asleep," Shannon said.

"Well, ya got anger right. Forget Kelly for a second, he's never screamed at me that way," Gibbs said. That had thrown him for a loop. He had expected his agent to back down when he confronted him, but the younger man just directed his anger to him instead. There was no sign of the mild mannered NCIS agent at all.

"'Well, you were his boss before. You're not anymore. People show a different side to their friends and family than they do to everyone else. I think you might find soon enough that you don't know Timothy as well as you think you do. He will surprise you," Shannon said.

"I don't know if I like that or not," Gibbs said.

"That's because you hate change, another thing you're going to have to get over soon," Shannon said as she sat down next to him. "In this life, you'll need to embrace change because there's gonna be a lot of it."

Gibbs looked at her with a serious expression on his face. "There's no way back, is there?" He hadn't wanted to believe that before. He told himself that he would find a way to free all of them from this life. But the more he got acclimated to the new reality, the less he believed that. It was just all starting to seem very permanent, even if it had only been a few days.

"No, there isn't. One more thing to accept."

"It seems like I have to accept a lot all at once," Gibbs grumbled.

"I know, and I'm sorry. This isn't fair. But it's the way it is. I've come to realize that and you'll

have to too," Shannon said.

"Well, we'll be together. That's all that matters," Gibbs said as he pulled her into his arms, something that until recently, he thought he'd never do again. It made everything worth it.


	19. Chapter 19

Tim woke up a few hours later feeling much more refreshed. He was still in a fair amount of pain, he supposed that came with the territory after being shot. He was also still pretty angry, but the sleep had calmed him down quite a bit.

Tim made his way out of the room and down the hall towards the kitchen to get something to drink. He found Gibbs at the coffee maker.

Gibbs turned when he heard someone come into the room. "Hey. Coffee?"

"It's two in the afternoon," Tim said.

"Your point?" Gibbs asked with a smirk.

Tim chuckled a little. "So where are Shannon and Kelly."

"Shannon's sleeping and I'm assuming Kelly is too," Gibbs said as he filled two cups of coffee and then handed on to Tim. He then stared out the kitchen window for a minute and then sighed. "I'm not objective when it comes to my daughter."

"I noticed," Tim couldn't help but retort.

Gibbs glared at him, but didn't say anything. He wasn't used to this side of his agent. Usually the man was the picture of politeness. Then again, that was before their personal lives began to overlap. And in all honesty, McGee had the right to be angry. "When I see Kelly, it's hard for me to see the adult that she's become. I'm sure you know that. You called me on it yourself."

"But she is an adult. She's my wife and I have the right to be angry when she hurts me. How would you feel if someone got in between a fight between you and Shannon?" Tim asked before taking a sip of his coffee.

Gibbs sighed. Shannon had asked him a very similar question, and they were both right. "I would've reacted the same way you did, only it probably would've come to blows."

"I was angry, not suicidal," Tim said half-jokingly. He knew very well that he wouldn't have won a physical fight between him and Gibbs. "Look, Boss, you know I have the utmost respect for you, but what happened today had nothing to do with you."

Gibbs sucked in a breath and fought the urge to argue. He knew his agent was right, but that didn't mean he liked it. "You can't expect me to accept that right away. I can barely accept the fact that you're married to my daughter."

"And you can't expect me to act like I'm not," Tim shot back. "And you can't expect me to not be angry that Kelly and Shannon abandoned me without anything other than a letter. I have the right to be angry. Kelly told me she loved me and that we would be together forever. Yet she left me, so did Shannon. And I can't figure out which one hurts more. My wife or the woman who called me her son," Tim said. They both hurt terribly in their own ways. He honestly couldn't say for sure which one was worse.

"They didn't mean to hurt you," Gibbs said before talking a gulp of his coffee

Tim laughed humorlessly. He was beginning to hate that sentence. Like what they intended actually mattered. Their intentions didn't change his feelings. "Yeah, they were just protecting me, right? I'm so sick of hearing that! I didn't ask to be protected. I don't want it! I would've gladly taken the risk rather than be protected and alone."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Gibbs said. He felt the same way. He wished he had been with his family before too. He would much rather be with them than 'safe'.

"No, you don't. Yes, you might feel the way I do about being with them, but you have no idea what it was like for me. I didn't have to spend the whole time they were gone wondering if what you did to turn your family away, so you don't you don't have the same anger I do," Tim said.

Gibbs couldn't deny that. He'd said it more than once. He couldn't be angry because it felt too good to have Shannon and Kelly back. It was a far cry from Tim who was angry long before Shannon and Kelly came back into their lives. "Look, I'll do my best to stay out of any fights between you and Kelly. I won't promise it though. Like I said, I'm not objective when it comes to her."

Tim nodded. "I can accept that."

"We're both probably going to have to accept a lot. This life doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon," Gibbs said.

'Yeah, I kind of figured. These guys managed to put a tracking device on me while I was in the hospital. They don't seem like the type to give up or to be stopped. I mean, we thought we stopped them before. Obviously we were wrong," Tim said.

"Obviously," Gibbs agreed.

"So it's over then. We've said goodbye to our lives as we knew them? To the rest of the team?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, I think we have."

Tim nodded. "I'm okay with that. I mean, I'll miss the others of course, but this is where I belong. With my wife. With my family." He was still extremely angry with Shannon and Kelly, but that didn't change how he felt about them. They were his family and he loved them both. That would never change.

"Our family," Gibbs corrected.

Tim laughed. "Man, that sounds weird."

"It shouldn't. Us having relatives in common might be new, but you've always been my family, Tim," Gibbs said They were no longer colleagues, so he felt no need to deny it, and he felt like Tim needed to hear it.

"Really?" Tim asked with mild surprise.

"You didn't already know that?" Gibbs asked.

"No. I mean, I knew that was how it was for Tony, Ziva, and Ducky, but…" He trailed off unable to continue. He was starting to feel a bit embarrassed.

"You think it's different for you?" Gibbs asked in surprise.

"I'm different," Tim said in a quiet, subdued voice.

Gibbs caught the tone. It sounded very much like he was parroting off someone else's words, like maybe his father's. "Everyone's different. No one person's the same. Your differences are the reason people love you."

"They're also the reason some people don't," Tim said as he looked down into his coffee.

"Hey," Gibbs said, forcing the younger man to look up at him. "Those people are fools and they don't deserve to have you. You might as well forget them."

Tim smiled. "Thanks, Boss."


	20. Chapter 20

Vance walked into the interrogation room Nick Baker was placed in. It had taken him a few days, but DiNozzo finally managed to find him.

"You're a hard man to find, Mr. Baker," Vance said.

"That's sort of the point, sir," Nick said.

"Do you know who I am?" Vance asked as he sat down across from him.

"I know you're NCIS," Nick said.

"Director Leon Vance. I run this agency. Do you know how often I step into an interrogation room?" Vance asked in an intimidating manner.

"I'd guess not very," Nick said without a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"You'd be right. My interrogation days were over a long time ago. I let the actual agents handle that. But there are certain times when I make exceptions. And when I do, it's a good idea to cooperate," Vance said.

Nick leaned forward in his chair. "Now do you know who I am? I was in the military for ten years. I did three tours in Vietnam. Do you really think you can intimidate me?"

"You think that means you're immune? I don't care what you've done in the past. I've got two missing agents. I will do whatever I have to do to get them back," Vance said firmly.

Nick leaned back again. "I can't help you."

"Somehow I doubt that. We know you were hired by Joanne Fielding to hide her daughter and granddaughter. We also know that that assignment now includes their husbands, Special Agent Gibbs and Special Agent McGee," Vance said.

Nick showed no reaction to the director's accusation. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

"Is that right? Then how do you explain the money Joanne Fieldings paid you a month before the 'deaths' of her daughter and granddaughter?" Vance asked.

Nick shrugged. "I did some odd jobs for her."

"I see. Odd jobs that added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars? I don't think so. Joanne Fielding paid you to fake the deaths of her daughter and granddaughter. She asked you to hide them and you did. Where are they?" Vance demanded.

"I have nothing to say," Nick said simply.

"Either tell me where they are or I'll put you in a cell until you do!" Vance yelled. He was losing his patients with this guy.

"You do what you have to do," Nick said calmly.

Just then there was a knock at the door followed by Tony walking in. "Director, I need a word."

Vance glared at him, but got up and followed him out. "This is the second time you've interrupted me during an interrogation. Consider me Gibbs! Don't interrupt while I'm talking to a suspect."

"Director, you can't lock him up," Tony said getting straight to the point. He had been listening in the observation room. The moment Vance threatened Baker with jail, he knew he had to stop it.

"Excuse me?" Vance asked with a firm tone.

"Sir, the reason Shannon and Kelly were able to stay safe for so long is because of Baker. He kept them alive. He moved them when they were in danger and he made sure they had a safe place to go. Without him, they're all sitting ducks. You can't lock him up," Tony said in a desperate tone. He knew Gibbs and McGee were screwed if the director went this route.

"Sitting a day or two in a cell won't be a big deal. Baker will crack before long," Vance said.

"With all due respect, sir, no, he won't. I've encountered men like him before. They are all about the job at hand. His job is to protect the Gibbs family and he will do whatever he has to do to make that happen," Tony said.

"Well, then what do you suggest I do, DiNozzo?" Vance asked irritably. He did see DiNozzo's point. If Baker didn't crack, they would be putting everyone in danger by keeping him locked up. But what other option did they have.

Tony paused for a minute before saying the one thing he knew Vance would not want to here. "Nothing."

"Nothing," Vance echoed as though he'd heard wrong.

"Nothing," Tony repeated. "I suggest that we leave well enough alone," Tony said.

"You consider this well enough?" Vance asked.

"As opposed to alternative, yes. I mean, the danger to them is very real, Director," Tony said seriously.

"I'm aware of that DiNozzo," he said.

"So what will we do. Say we do the impossible and we actually track Gibbs. What then? We bring them back to be picked off? Because that's what's going to happen. We can't stop the cartel, not really. I think that's been proven over the years. Someone will always be there to replace the leader. I think that's been proven over the years. Pedro Hernandez was killed and he was replaced, Paloma Reynosa was killed and she was replaced. So if we stop the current leader, he or she will just be replaced too and will want the heads of Gibbs, McGee, Shannon, and Kelly. So what will we do? About the only thing we could do to protect them is to put them in the Witness Protection Program and even that's not foolproof," Tony said.

"Neither is this," Vance pointed out.

"No, but it's the best solution there is. Come on, Director, you know I'm right. It's best to just let it be," Tony said. He hated saying it, but it was true. His friends were better off never being found. He would miss both of them dearly, but he would rather miss them and know they were alive than miss them and attend their funerals.

Vance sighed. He didn't want to admit it, but he did know DiNozzo was right. They couldn't protect Gibb and McGee. He had been fooling himself by telling himself that they could. Bringing them back would be tantamount of handing them over to the Reynosa's himself. "SECNAV isn't just going to let us drop the case. Two agents were targeted and have since disappeared. They're going to want them found and someone to answer for it. However, as we all know, sometimes cases aren't solved. We go through the motions and follow up every lead that crosses our desks."

"I doubt there will be many of those," Tony said.

Vance continued as if Tony hadn't spoken. "And eventually, we'll come to the point where we'll no longer be able to spend time and resources on it. Like many other cases in the past, it'll go cold."

"What about Baker?" Tony asked.

"Turn him lose and bury any evidence that ties him to this case," Vance said. He knew that if anyone ever found out about this, it would be the end of his career, but better that than the end of Gibbs and McGee's lives.

"Yes, sir," Tony said before walking away.


End file.
